Fate's Arrow
by KennaWynters
Summary: Shay had never wanted or needed to find her soulmate. But when the streets of New York exploded with violence as SHIELD fell, she found herself inexplicably bound to an injured man and on the run for her very life.
1. Are you an Angel?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Avengers or Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D those are the sole property of Marvel. Nor do I own anybody from The Unusuals they are the sole property of Sony Pictures. The only thing I do own is Shaylyn Harrison and any other OC's who may appear at random intervals.

**Author's Note:** Inspired by amusewithaview's write love on my skin and ozhawk's Soulmate Shorts. I became fascinated with the whole Soulmates and Soulmarks idea after reading her work. So my take on this is that everyone has a destined Soulmate in the world, some may even have more than one.

The first words that a person will say to their Soulmate shall appear somewhere upon their body in their destined mate's handwriting the moment that mate is born. When they first meet and have said their first words to each other, where ever they first touch, their combined Soulmark or Bondmark shall appear in that exact spot.

Many thanks to ozhawk for being an: amazing friend, beta, motivator, ass kicker, collaborator and occasional rabid plot bunny killer. Her stories are amazingly awesome and have on more than one occasion inspired me to keep trudging along and have actually helped me break through blocks.

**Chapter One:** Are you an Angel?

This had definitely been the longest shift of Shaylyn's life, or perhaps it simply felt that way. Early during their meal break Shay and her partner Tyler had been watching the breaking news update on the attack that was occurring in Washington DC. Once that story had hit the news half the city of New York had panicked and the Ambulance crews had been getting dispatched almost non stop.

Stripping out of her sweaty and disgusting uniform, Shay stepped into the shower stall and turned on the water. Once she had it at the right temperature she stepped in under the spray and closed her eyes, letting the water just cascade over her head. As she started to wash off the sweat and grime of the day Shay stopped suddenly, turning her right hand palm-up, and frowned at the tattoo-like mark now residing on her inner right wrist.

"What the hell?" Shay muttered under her breath as her fingers brushed over the mark, a frown furrowing her brow as she tried to recall when or even who the bare skin of her wrist had touched during the day. The only case she could recall was her last, as her patient prior to falling unconscious had uttered the same four words she'd been carrying on her since birth.

_As they dropped to the ground, Tyler began to check the man's vital signs while Shay tried to catalogue the man's injuries. Grabbing the scissors from her kit, Shay began to cut up the middle of the man's t-shirt to get a clearer view._

_As she lent forward to cut across the shoulders of the t-shirt her chocolate eyes met and momentarily held very confused and pained storm grey eyes. Her eyes flicked down from his momentarily as his tongue darted out to moisten his lips before a low gravelly voice muttered "Are you an Angel?"_

_Shay had been in the process of pushing the cut shirt off the lower left portion of his abdomen with her right hand when the words registered, causing her brain to stutter momentarily and her hand to slide to a rest just above his groin. With a slight shake of her head and a roll of her eyes Shay snarked back "No, you moron, you're not dead. Yet."_

_As her patient fell into unconsciousness, Shay shook off the familiarity of the man's uttered words; it was after all not the first time she'd heard those words spoken. She did however also make a mental note that whenever she did eventually find the ass that was responsible for her bearing those four words that she'd have a few choice words to say to them._

Shaking herself out of the flashback Shay grabbed her soap from the shelf with a low growl and began scrubbing ferociously at the skin of her inner wrist till it began to turn red. "Fuck me, why did this have to happen now?"

Dropping the soap back onto the shelf, Shay slid down the tiled wall to sit on the floor of the shower stall beneath the cascading water that was slowly beginning to chill. The words the man with the unique storm grey eyes had said surely had to have been a coincidence…right?

If she was truthfully honest with herself Shay wasn't sure that she wanted anything to do with a soulmate. She'd been called out to some brutal domestic disturbance disputes that had occurred between bonded soulmates and now she found herself marked and bonded to a complete stranger who might not even survive his injuries.

Blindly reaching up for the tap Shay turned off the now icy cascade of water before forcing herself back to her feet. Reaching outside the stall for where she'd hung her towel she pulled it in and quickly dried her athletic form before wrapping herself in the towel. Stepping from the stall she collected her dirty uniform and underwear.

Making her way wearily across the locker room from the shower to her locker Shay tried to get her brain to function enough to work out what she should be doing next in regards to her current predicament. As far as she knew, she had two possible options. Option one was that she could just ignore the mark and hope that her soulmate didn't come looking for her; or option two she could suck it up and go to the hospital to see if storm grey eyes really is her soulmate, and check on his condition. He'd been in a pretty bad way when they'd dropped him off.

It was an hour after she went into the locker room that Shay re-emerged into the station house's common room, dressed in a pair of black jeans combined with a black tank top underneath her blue FDNY hoodie paired with black socks and combat boots.

Crossing the room towards Tyler as he arched one brow curiously Shay dropped heavily into the empty seat beside him on the couch.

"Everything ok? You were in there for so long I was starting to think I'd have to come drag you out," he whispered before passing the bowl of popcorn in her direction.

Grabbing a handful of the popcorn with her left hand Shay popped two pieces into her mouth, chewing quietly as she mulled over the best way to answer that question, as her gaze fell onto the television and the news that was showing the aftermath of the attack on the Triskelion in Washington DC.

"Yeah Ty I'm fine, just a lot of stuff going through my head suddenly. Then there's all of this, happening in DC." She gestured towards the television before popping more popcorn into her mouth.

"Hey Ty? That last pick up we had tonight, did you by any chance get his name?" Shay hoped that her question would come across as simple curiosity, however the moment she turned her head to look at her partner she could tell by the look he gave her that her hope was shattered.

"Why?"

Shay inwardly winced at the question and gave a slight shrug as her gaze returned to the television. In hindsight, she probably should have known better than to ask him that question, but the need to know really had gotten the better of her and the question had just slipped out of her mouth unbidden.

"The reason I ask is because something happened today and I think it happened during that last call." Turning in the seat to face Tyler, Shay pushed the right hand sleeve of her hoodie up enough to expose the mark now residing on her inner wrist. "I need to see if he has the same mark. If it's not him then I have no idea when it happened."

As Shay tugged the sleeve back into place she heard Tyler's low whistle and from her peripheral vision saw him reach up to scratch the back of his head before he murmured "When I checked his wallet for a name, I think it was Walsh, Jason Walsh."

That name seemed strangely familiar to Shay but for the life of her she couldn't figure out why. Turning her gaze back to the television screen she slumped sideways to rest her head against Tyler's shoulder. _So tired_. Her eyes drifted slowly closed.


	2. Fatherly Advice

**Author's Note: **With it being Christmas in Australia I decided to drop the second chapter as a gift. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas when it eventually arrives in your neck of the woods. Hope you all have a wonderful day.

**Chapter Two: **Fatherly Advice

He'd been about to say something when Tyler noticed the change in Shay's breathing that generally signified she'd once again fallen asleep against his shoulder. It never ceased to amaze him how easily she could just fall asleep in the strangest of places when exhausted.

At six four tall Tyler had a good foot in height over Shay who only stood at five four. This height difference at least made it easier for him to lift and carry her from whatever strange position she'd fallen asleep in this time.

Deciding it was best to get her settled into one of the bunks, Tyler shifted in order to lift Shay from the couch before standing and heading for the bunk room with long easy strides.

Once he was sure that Shay was settled and still sleeping on the bunk Tyler decided it would be a good time to try and get some information on their last pick up. When they'd found the guy he'd looked like he'd seen better days, when Shay had removed his t-shirt they'd found a number of injuries, the worst being a gun shot wound to his left shoulder. As well as the shoulder wound he'd seen at least three stab wounds of varying depths.

Several hours later Tyler returned to the bunk room with a notebook stuffed under his arm and more than a little bleary eyed, he'd fallen asleep, albeit briefly, at the computer while doing research, not that he'd ever actually admit that to anyone. His blue eyes drifted immediately to the bunk he'd left Shay upon, only to find it vacant and neatly made.

Truthfully he hadn't expected her to still be there, he knew it was rare for her to sleep more than four hours at a time and if she did happen to she often suffered from nightmares. Tyler had found himself on more than one occasion having to wake a flailing Shay from her sleep, the first such attempt ending with him sprawled on the bunk room floor with blood gushing from his nose after a lucky left hook had caught him off guard.

Turning to leave the room, Tyler made his way down to the station house's gym. Odds were good that Shay would either be here or off raiding the kitchen. If you asked him, he'd honestly admit he loved his partner like the daughter he'd never had, hell even his own sons who were fire fighters in the same station house looked out for her like a sister.

Pushing through the door of the gym Tyler wasn't surprised to find Shay in the corner of the gym lashing out at the punching bag. At least this time she'd remembered, for which he said a silent prayer of thanks, to tape her hands. The last time he'd found her, the skin of the knuckles of both hands had been bloody and red raw.

"Seriously girl, don't you ever get a decent night's sleep?" Crossing the gym to the bag in the corner, Tyler dropped the notebook on top of Shay's discarded hoodie and stepped behind the bag to brace it. Though when he caught sight of the wicked glint in those chocolate eyes, he suspected that he wasn't about to like the retort that was about to come flying back.

"Depends, usually I sleep pretty good if I've been well and truly fucked. Or after Sam's thanksgiving dinner. I swear your wife makes the best damn turkey and pumpkin pies I've ever eaten." The happy teasing grin that Shay wore didn't quite make it to her eyes, Tyler noticed. With a slight shake of his head he tightened his grip on the bag as the punches continued and were joined by an occasional elbow strike.

"That was more information than I needed to know, though I'm sure Sam would welcome the compliment." Tyler glanced around the bag to Shay as she blew out a frustrated breath.

"Grab your hoodie, we're taking a trip." Stepping out from behind the bag Tyler collected his notebook, waiting by the door for Shay to follow. When she stopped beside him he inclined his head toward the door, as they made their way out of the station house and over to his pickup truck he handed her the notebook.

"So, while you were resting I did a little research on your possible soulmate. Turns out this Walsh used to be a Major League Baseball player in his early twenties." Turning his attention from Shay to the road Tyler pulled the pickup out into traffic. From the corner of his eye he saw the map light turn on above Shay and heard the sound of turning pages as she flipped through his notes.

"Huh. He went from being a baseball player to being a cop? That's a massive career switch."

Tyler could hear the confusion in her tone; he'd actually had a similar query when he'd discovered the switch. "It appears so. I couldn't seem to find anything on the reason behind the occupation change though."

Pulling his pickup truck into the parking lot of the hospital, Tyler shut off the ignition. As he opened the door his gaze turned to Shay. "Come on, you have someone to go visit. I figure you need to check on him, as well as seeing for yourself if he's got the same marking. Otherwise you're just going to drive all of us, including yourself, crazy with the mystery."

It didn't escape his notice that Shay was fidgeting with the sleeves of her hoodie as they made their way into the hospital. After a brief flirtatious chat with one of the nurses Tyler managed to find out where they needed to go and guided Shay into the elevator.

"So, while you go and check on this guy's condition and examine him for this mark," Tyler gestured towards her wrist then before continuing. "I'll stand guard by the door and distract any of the nursing staff who happen to come by." Guiding her down the hallway Tyler had to stop suddenly as Shay stalled. The look on her face was something reminiscent of a deer facing oncoming headlights.

Turning to face Shay and placing his hands on her shoulders Tyler took a deep breath before speaking. "Take a slow breath, you can do this. All you're doing is checking in on someone who may or may not be your soulmate, but was definitely a patient. You're not doing anything wrong."

With a gentle nudge he urged Shay into the room before stepping in after her, silently shutting the door and propping himself by the wall just inside. With a slight tilt of his head Tyler nodded to the curtain, indicating for her to step through.

It was a couple of minutes after Shay disappeared behind the curtains that Tyler heard a rough gravelly voice rumble "I know I'm sexy, but generally I do like girls to buy me dinner first before I let them get into my pants."

Mary Mother of God, what had that girl done _now_?


	3. Sexy and He Knows It

**Author's Note:** Many thanks to everyone who has reviewed and favourited. These are definitely all things that keep me going, well those and ozhawk who is an awesome beta and keeps my crackhead muses working by feeding them pictures of muscly hot guys from the MCU.

So this is possibly a little later but I wanted to let you guys know how exactly I visualise Tyler and Shay.

Tyler I see as Liam Neeson from the Taken movies, he is essentially Shay's adopted father and the reason she is alive and on the straight and narrow.

Shaylyn in my head I see as Kristin Kruek, she has a dark past which gets briefly explored later on in discussions with Clint.

**Chapter Three:** Sexy and he knows it

As storm grey eyes drifted open blinking to regain focus, the last thing he'd expected to see was a wave of brunette hair falling just above his stomach. It took him a minute or two for his vision to clear enough to realise he was lying prone in a hospital bed, the hospital gown he was wearing hiked up to his waist, the blankets and sheet drawn back just enough to keep him decent.

Feeling trembling fingers brush across the skin of his groin, licking his lips he tried to regain some moisture in his mouth. However his voice still came out rough and gravelly as he rumbled "I know I'm sexy, but generally I do like girls to buy me dinner first before I let them get into my pants."

Brunette hair whipped around so fast he was surprised that the owner didn't suffer whiplash, his storm grey eyes locked and held startled chocolate ones before dropping down towards where her fingers were still resting upon his skin.

His gaze narrowed briefly to inspect the strange tattoo, barely two inches high, of an ornate, filigreed heart pierced by an arrow, which marked the skin of her right inner wrist. As his gaze drifted down along her hand to where her fingers rested, he caught a brief glimpse of the same marking upon his own flesh.

Bolting upright in the bed, which in his current condition probably wasn't the wisest move as pain bloomed in a sharp burst in his shoulder, as the woman stepped back from the bed he lurched from the bed after her his fingers curling gently yet firmly about her wrist.

In his lifetime, he'd seen some bad things happen between soulmates and had never really wanted to or had even considered he would ever find his soulmate. Yet here she stood, just barely six inches shorter than his five ten with flowing brunette hair that fell just past her shoulders.

Chocolate eyes slightly wide with uncertainty darted from his gaze towards the door, causing a low rumble of warning to reverberate through his chest "What the hell is going on here? Who are you and what the hell gives you the right to mark me?"

He couldn't help the slight smirk that curved his lips when her chocolate gaze shot back to his. In their depths he saw the faintest flash of anger flare before her shoulders straightened and she wrenched her wrist from his grasp.

"Just who the fuck do you think you are Jason? It's not like I dragged your unconscious, wounded ass to the nearest tattoo shop and got _this_," Here she raised her wrist and waved it past his eyes, which gave him the chance to recapture the wayward limb so he could stroke a calloused thumb along the marking. "Slapped on both of us. I never asked for this, I never wanted this."

Drawing his gaze from her wrist the smirk he'd been wearing twisted into a scowl as the past few days suddenly flashed back before his eyes. He recalled an investigation he'd been conducting into a corrupt cop in the Precinct where he was stationed going sour and ending in a confrontation, from which he had apparently not walked away under his own power. "We have to go. Now."

"You're in no state to go anywhere. Ty, a little help here?" The concerned tone lacing her voice and the worried expression she suddenly wore caused his heart to do a strange little flutter in his chest, which is something he would be examining just a little more closely once he was sure they were both safe.

Hearing the soft thud of boots moving towards them from behind the curtain, he dropped her wrist quickly, turning to lunge at the shadow as the curtain shifted slightly his solid body slammed into the six foot four man that came into view. _Big, _he assessed rapidly, _strong, but unprepared and untrained to face someone like me._

His momentum drove them both into the wall beside the door, his arm pressed firmly against the bigger man's throat before he'd been able to make a move. Storm grey eyes darted from his captive to the woman now standing behind him as the sound of a soft gasp caught his attention.

It was the slight flush in her cheeks and the way her gaze darted suddenly from his back to the man whose airway he was currently blocking that told him he was wearing one of those ridiculous backless hospital gowns with nothing else underneath. That and the breeze on his bare ass.

Turning his gaze back to the taller man he eased up the weight on the other man's throat before leaning in to growl menacingly "I'm going. And she's going with me. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay out of the way."

Before the man could even make any form of response to his threat the door beside them burst open, and from his peripheral vision he saw the muzzle of a semi automatic pistol moments before the sound of gunfire filled the room and a spray of bullets tore through the mostly shut curtain towards the bed he'd just recently vacated.

Letting the taller man go he spared a momentary glance towards his soulmate who'd hit the floor with her arms over her head. As the shooter went to step further into the room he flew into motion, easily disarming the unsuspecting gunman with a sharp blow to the wrist that sent his gun skittering across the floor to come to a stop by the woman's head.

Spinning sharply with a tight grip on the shooter's arm he manoeuvred him face first into the door, as the gunman dropped to his knees with a grunt he moved easily behind him to disable him with a choke hold. Dragging the unconscious form out of the doorway he heard heavy footsteps rushing towards them and quickly pulled a hunting knife free of the sheath on the unconscious gunman's belt.

Just as the second gunman manoeuvred through the door he flipped the knife in his right hand so that the spine was resting against his forearm, with a simple flick of his wrist the blade flashed swiftly across the shooter's carotid artery. As the lifeless form toppled to the floor he moved away towards the unconscious attacker, kicking the door shut on his way past.

"Who the hell are you?" The awed tone drew his stormy gaze from the unconscious body that he was stripping the gear from to the other side of the room and to his soulmate who was in the process of pushing herself up from the floor. Making a mental note to actually find out her name at some point, he set the tactical vest aside and began the process of removing the unconscious guy's boots and pants.

"Who I am, really isn't important right now. But we really need to go." Straightening from where he'd been crouched removing the unconscious guy's pants he leant forward slightly to pull the pants on and up beneath the gown, once fastened he reached behind him with his right arm to undo the ties at the back of his neck.

Pulling the gown off he tossed it across the room and gathered the tactical vest and slid it on over his shoulders before zipping it up. Having cleaned the hunting knife on the fallen man's shirt he leant down to tuck it into the combat boots he now wore. Turning to cross the room to the other body it didn't escape his notice that the first shooter's gun was now in the taller man's hands and aimed in his direction.

As he set about collecting the dead man's weapons and stashing them on him, his gaze moved to his soulmate, watching her reactions intently. Taking the dead man's magazines he put them into one of the pockets on the tactical vest before picking up the pistol and ejecting the magazine to check the rounds. Slamming it back home he pulled the slide to load a fresh round before flipping the safety on and tucking it into the waistband of his stolen pants.

Crossing the room he stopped in front of the pair, sparing the taller man with the gun pointed at him a brief glance before moving his gaze back to the woman. Extending one hand out, he said "I'm not leaving without you." He simply stood there, hand held out to her and watched the emotions flicker in the depths of her chocolate eyes. He barely contained a growl when her gaze darted momentarily to the man beside her moments before her hand tentatively settled into his.

"Shaylyn, you can't seriously be thinking of going with this guy! He just killed one man in front of us and knocked out another. This guy is _dangerous_."

Turning an icy glare onto the taller man, he went to take a step forward into the other man's personal space only to find his path blocked as the woman whose name he now knew was Shaylyn slipped between them.

"Tyler, you are not helping right now." Her frustration with the other man was evident to him in the tone of her voice. When he felt the slightest squeeze of his hand his stormy gaze turned back to her. "There are people coming after him, Ty. We can't just leave him here. Now would you please point that gun somewhere else?"

Hearing the faint click of the gun's safety engaging, he cocked one eyebrow in her direction. Her mouth curved into a wry smile as she shrugged one shoulder.

"If he's done trying to be an over protective watch dog we really need to go. These won't be the only two here looking for me."

Her hand slipped free of his grasp as she moved for the door. Deftly reaching out to curl his hand into the back of her hoodie, he pulled her to an abrupt stop before stepping forward lowering his head so his mouth was by her ear while murmuring "What do you think you're doing?"

"Well, I was going to go check the route to the elevator to see if it was clear? I figured they'd be looking for you not me." The low purr of her voice sent a shiver down his spine and had heat pooling low in his belly, turning his head slightly he inhaled sharply and was met with the aroma of apples.

Nuzzling into her hair he groaned quietly as his mind wandered into dangerous territory, he was so close to pinning her against the wall and tasting the delicate skin of her throat it wasn't funny. In fact the only thing that stopped him was the sound of a throat roughly clearing behind him.

Taking a step back he shook his head slowly as he tried to rein his libido in and clear the lust filled haze from his head. When he thought with his head he had to admit that her suggestion held certain tactical advantages, but this new-found part of him that insisted she was now the most important thing in the world was screaming an emphatic refusal to let her out of his sight.

There was absolutely no way known he was letting her set one foot outside that door without him being either in front of or beside her. "No." He actually hadn't meant to say that out loud. The moment she turned and he saw the tight set of her lips and the slight flash of frustration in her eyes, he inwardly kicked himself.

"No?"

The icy tone of her voice made him flinch just the tiniest bit and he knew by the slight twitch her lips made that she'd caught the flinch before he could fully conceal it. Raising both hands slightly he stepped forward back into her personal space to settle his hands on her shoulders as he murmured "Let me rephrase that. We need to stick together."

Whatever painkillers they'd had him on were obviously starting to wear off as pain radiated from his shoulder and belly as he moved. Tensing his jaw he tried his best to not show the pain. Though when one of his hands unwittingly tightened on her shoulder he watched her brow furrow and knew that his pain was evident to her. When soft warm hands curled around his biceps he saw the flash of concern flare in her eyes shortly before she stated "If we're going then we need to go now! But we need to make a stop first."

Shifting his attention from her to her friend he found them both watching him a little too intensely for his liking. "What kind of stop?" He asked curiously, his question not aimed at anyone in particular.

"Supplies," was the sudden gruff answer from behind them which had him turning his head to look at the older man curiously, it was just a little disconcerting that this man seemed to know straight away what his mate was talking about. From the expression on the older man's face he assumed there was some kind of silent conversation occurring between the two, this was confirmed when his gaze returned to her and he saw the icy glare she was giving her friend.

What exactly was there between his soulmate and this older man who seemed to know her so well? He tried hard to tamp down a hot flare of jealousy. _Don't jump to conclusions._


	4. Escape and Evade

**Author's Note:** Once again a seriously big thanks to ozhawk for being an awesome beta and kicking my ass when I need it, she is a seriously awesome writer and her works inspire me to keep going. Also a big thanks to those favouriting, following and commenting it's a huge comfort to know that this is coming along well.

**Chapter Four:** Evade and Escape

He'd still been trying to tamp down the flare of jealousy that had emerged from his contemplation over what relationship his soulmate had with the older man when he heard the door quietly shut. Jerking out of his thoughts he glanced back over his shoulder to see the older man gone and quickly looked back to Shaylyn, asking "Where the hell did he go?"

"To get supplies." The matter of fact tone of her voice combined with her expression and the slight shrug of her shoulders made him groan. Bringing his right hand from her shoulder to pinch the bridge of his nose he forced his eyes closed momentarily to silently count.

"So he said, but what supplies _exactly_?" he asked cautiously as his eyes drifted open slowly to meet her gaze while letting his hand fall from the bridge of his nose.

Easing his left hand gingerly from her shoulder to settle at her lower back he started towards the door, guiding her with a gentle nudge. He watched silently while she inclined her head slightly before the soft lilt of her voice filled the room, "Bandages, antibiotics and painkillers, you know, the usual."

As her hand reached out to open the door he blinked at the rather casual statement, such supplies were apparently perfectly commonplace for her, whatever it was that she did. When the door cracked open he subtly shifted to place himself between her and the opening as his gaze assessed the hallway leading from the recovery room to the elevator.

"Where will he be going?" He asked, while stepping into the hallway, his hand at her back, urging her to follow him out and fall into step beside him. The corridor felt far too quiet for his liking as they made their way along it. His eyes continually scanned their surroundings for threats.

Stopping by the doors to the elevator he turned slightly to study the door to the stairs, in his peripheral vision he saw her hand come up to hit the call button. The hand that had been resting on his injured shoulder shot out and curled gently around her wrist, stalling her progress. With a shake of his head his gaze moved back to her while murmuring, "No, we're taking the stairs."

"Why?" Shay looked back at him, bemused.

"Too much potential for getting trapped in elevators. Doors always open to reveal the bad guys, don't you ever watch the movies? And you didn't answer my question. Where's your boyfriend going?"

"He's not my boyfriend, he's my partner," she frowned as he pulled her towards the fire stairs. "Jason, it's nine flights down…"

He hesitated a moment, then shook his head. "Not now," he said, almost to himself. "Nine flights, shouldn't take long, then. And you still didn't answer my question. Where's your _partner_ going?"

Shay had to hurry to keep up with him as he darted down the stairs, somehow almost soundless even in heavy combat boots, leading around corners with the gun, his grey eyes everywhere. He was lethally graceful in a way that seemed almost familiar, tickling oddly at the back of her brain, because it really wasn't the way she saw NYPD officers move.

"Ambulance resupply office," she said, finally answering his question. "It's right by the ER exit."

Pausing suddenly by the door that led out to the ER his head tilted as he strained to listen to the sounds on the other side of the door. As she collided into his back he curled his free arm back around her lower back, pinning her against him to prevent her from stumbling or falling and giving away their position.

From the way she'd kept up with him on the hasty descent down the stairs, he'd suspected she was athletic, but the sensation of her lithe body pressed up against his muscular back was compromising his ability to think clearly and keep a level head.

"Really, you all but run down those stairs like the hounds of hell are on our ass only to stop without warning?" Her breathy voice by his ear sent the slightest of shivers along his spine, which didn't at all help with the current problem he had with maintaining his focus.

Turning his head to rest his forehead against her temple he murmured quietly "Shhh." Letting his eyes drift closed he took a moment just to relish her closeness before turning his attention back to the sounds he could hear from the other side of the door.

When he was certain he couldn't hear anything more than the normal hustle and bustle associated with the daily routine of the ER he forced his eyes open and reluctantly moved his arm from around her. Meeting her gaze his hand tightened on the pistol's grip as his free hand moved to the door handle. "Stay close to me." He said it low but firm, holding her eyes and hoping that she obeyed. He could already tell that his soulmate was strong-willed.

Stepping out of the stairwell he kept the gun down by his thigh out of sight and was slightly surprised when she casually stepped in front of him to conceal his gun from view. Scanning the ER he caught sight of her partner emerging from a doorway across the way, settling his free hand to her hip he gently ushered her in that direction.

His gaze was focused on her partner and the bag he had slung over his shoulder so the first sign he had that something was wrong was her sudden sharp intake of breath from in front of him. Before he could even make a move to see what had caused her reaction he found himself lying flat on his back with the wind knocked out of him and her sprawled on top of him.

He was vaguely aware of the sound of gunfire and screams erupting in the ER as he attempted and failed to draw air back into his lungs as pain flared and spread from his shoulder and stomach. When the extra weight on his chest moved he found it easier to breath, he forced his eyes to open as he felt warm lips brush his ear and heard an urgently whispered, "Jason, please, you need to still be with me right now."

"I'm here," he muttered just before he felt soft careful hands slide beneath his stolen vest at his shoulders to help him into a seated position with his back against the nurses' station. From the corner of his eye he could see her partner had taken cover in the doorway and was firing back at the shooters who he assumed were in the back of the ER.

Using the nurses' station as cover he peered around the corner, locating four shooters still upright and firing and another two who appeared immobile on the floor. From what he could see it would appear that her partner had some kind of military training. He could certainly shoot straight and wasn't wasting his limited ammunition.

Raising the pistol he took aim and joined in the fire fight currently occurring in the middle of the emergency room, granted he loathed hospitals but that didn't mean that he wanted a war to occur in the middle of one.

Easily falling into the familiar routine of battle he pulled back in behind his cover to replace the magazine. Just as he was taking aim at the final shooter there was a strangled cry of "No!" to his right and he ducked back into cover just in time to see his soulmate launch her body across his legs and out into the open.

"_Don't!_" He shouted while reaching out to try and drag her back into cover, only to miss grabbing hold of her ankle by a mere inch. Cursing inwardly as a shot ricocheted off the floor just behind her he leant out, took aim and dropped the final shooter with a single shot right between his eyes.

Forcing himself off the floor, gun still in hand, he scanned the back of the ER as he crossed to the doorway where there was a pair of booted feet slowly disappearing into the room. Still covering the back of the ER with the weapon, he peered quickly over his shoulder and caught sight of her pressing a wad of gauze down against a wound to her partner's chest that was barely an inch above his heart.

"_Shit_."

Flicking the safety onto his gun he shoved it roughly into the waistband of his pants as he moved into the room. Before he even got to where the pair were in the middle of the resupply room he could see her movements were frantic, one hand trying to keep pressure on the wound as the other tried to gather what she needed.

Dropping to his knees beside her he placed his hand on top of hers and the gauze, causing her to jump slightly. When she lifted one arm to wipe the tears from her eyes on her sleeve he caught sight of the dark blood marring her hand before she scrambled on her knees over to the shelves.

He wasn't sure what it was she was searching for as his gaze was drawn from her to her partner as a hand weakly grasped at his wrist, he could tell the other man was trying to tell him something but his voice was slightly strangled.

He leant down to better hear as her partner weakly uttered "Get her out of here."

A metallic clatter drew his gaze momentarily to the floor where keys now rested by his knee. Gathering them with his free hand and stuffing them into a pocket of the vest his gaze returned in time to see a needle slide expertly into place in the wounded man's arm. Reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder he spoke calmly, trying to be reassuring at the same time as he said "Sweetheart, we have to go."

The icy glare he got in answer was enough to make him flinch and make a mental note not to call her that in future, her look was followed by an angrily snapped "I need to stabilize him." Her gaze then returned to the injured man and what she was in the middle of doing.

"He's in a hospital, they'll look after him. Right now the best thing we can do for him is to leave. The people looking for me will consider him an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire if we're not here. As long as I get rid of this." He tucked the gun her partner had been using inside his purloined combat vest, trying to sound as reasonable as he could. Shuffling footsteps drew his gaze to the doorway as a young nurse and doctor hurried into the supply room, dropping onto the opposite side of the wounded man.

Rising from the floor he collected the small duffle bag from the floor and slung it across his shoulder before bending down to curl his arm around his soulmate's waist to drag her to her feet. Tugging her from the room it took a few steps before she pulled herself together enough to actually move on her own.

Once outside he retrieved the keys and pressed the central locking button to locate the vehicle. Guiding her to the truck he tugged the passenger door open and dropped the duffle bag onto the bench seat before ushering her into the vehicle and moving to the driver's side to climb in.

Starting the truck he eased it out of the parking lot and onto the street; once they were a safe distance from the hospital he spared a glance to where she was sitting. Her forehead rested against the window while her knees where pulled to her chest and her hands had disappeared into the sleeves of the hoodie. She looked small and fragile like that, and he had to fight down the instinct to just tell her to trust him and he'd make everything okay. Clearing his throat he said softly "I think it's time for a proper introduction. I know your partner said your name but I'd prefer it if you told me yourself?"

Pulling the truck into a side street he put it in park to turn in his seat and meet her slightly exhausted eyes. There was a slight sniff as she chewed lightly at her lower lip as though debating her next step. When she finally spoke her voice cracked slightly. "I'm Shaylyn, Shaylyn Harrison."

One hand extended in his direction, as it emerged from beneath the sleeve of the hoodie it didn't escape his notice that it was quivering slightly. Reaching out to gently close his hand around hers he gave a slight squeeze before speaking "Nice to meet you properly Shaylyn. Now is probably a good time to tell you that my name isn't Jason."

As her brow furrowed and she tried to slide her hand from his he gently brushed his thumb soothingly along the back of her hand before he continued "Jason Walsh is a cover. My name is Clint, Clint Barton."


	5. Hell's Kitchen Part One

**Chapter Five:** Hell's Kitchen Part One

Shay couldn't help but watch Barton from the corner of her eye as he smoothly navigated the chaotic city streets. His storm-coloured eyes were everywhere, alert to potential hazards and avoiding them long before trouble occurred. His powerful biceps swelled and rippled under his smooth tanned skin as he deftly spun the wheel and worked the gear shift.

Slowly, it dawned on Shay that, out of everything about this fucked-up crazy day, the fact that Barton wasn't wearing a shirt under that tactical vest should _not_ be the one thing that bothered her the most.

Surely she should be more concerned about the fact that everything she knew or rather thought she knew about her soulmate was a massive lie. As she saw Barton's head turn slightly she quickly diverted her gaze to watch the streets and cars zip by rapidly.

"Who are you?" her confusion would likely be evident to him by the wary tone of her voice. Blinking several times as she took in the streets they were driving though, she then tacked on "and why the hell are we in Hell's Kitchen?"

The low masculine chuckle that echoed through the truck's cabin had tingles running the length of her spine and down to her toes. As the truck pulled to a stop and her gaze took in the neighbourhood a frown formed.

"Pit stop, for _supplies,_" the teasing tone of his voice combined with her earlier words thrown back at her drew a groan from Shay's throat as her forehead smacked against the window with a soft thud.

As if it wasn't bad enough that Barton looked like a sex on a stick his voice only seemed to make her long to take a bite out of those powerful biceps. Licking her lips unconsciously as she turned on the seat, she wound up looking into bemused grey eyes.

Dropping her chin to her chest she let her hair tumble over her face in an attempt to hide the faint blush she was almost certain was forming on her cheeks. "What sort of supplies _exactly?"_ she figured if he was going to throw her own words back at her then she could do the same.

"Cash, credentials, and weapons, you know, the usual to keep us alive." Hearing the truck door open she chanced glancing up in time to see the door shut. Reaching out she tugged open the glove box and rummaged around in the dark compartment until the familiar shape of her iPhone was beneath her fingers.

Leaning against the door, she'd just managed to stuff her phone into her jeans pocket when the door fell away from behind her, the only thing that prevented her from falling ass over teakettle into the street was a pair of strong arms encircling her midsection and a well muscled chest pressed to her back.

"I've heard of people falling head over heels for each other, but this is a first." How he could joke like that in their current situation was beyond her. She could feel the gun Barton had stashed into the vest he wore pressing firmly into her back.

Inching forward away from Barton's chest, Shay felt momentary relief when his arms relaxed enough for her to reach out and collect the bag containing their purloined medical supplies. That relief was short lived though when she felt his strong hands settle on her hips, causing her to stall with her hand upon the bag.

She'd never really been one to be distracted by a handsome face, yet from the moment she laid eyes – and hands – upon her soulmate her entire world seemed to have taken a rather drastic change. As his grip on her hips tightened to just shy of painful she couldn't help the startled gasp that escaped her throat. Glancing over her shoulder to Barton, she frowned at the taut expression he wore.

Shay managed to clamber out of the truck's cab despite the semi death grip on her hips, twisting as much as his grip would allow she studied his eyes and expression. Settling her hand lightly on his injured shoulder she couldn't miss the slight flinch. "Ok, lead the way, the sooner we get to wherever you're taking us the sooner I can check your wounds and give you something for the pain."

When his grip on her hips finally released she turned, stepping into his personal space to kick the door closed, slinging the bag over her shoulder. Casually, she slipped one arm around his waist. She told herself this move was simply a cover, for outsiders looking on to simply see a young couple enjoying each others company, yet somewhere deep down in a dark corner of herself that she normally didn't pry too deeply into she knew that was an out and out lie and that she was only doing it to have some form of physical contact with the deliciously muscled, hot as hell stranger who fate had determined as her perfect mate.

They languidly walked three blocks from Tyler's truck. Barton's hand had settled on her lower back shortly after she'd curled her arm about his waist and he was using it to guide her in the direction he wanted to go. When they stopped outside a five story red brick building, her gaze drifted along the front of the building before turning back to Barton with one brow cocked upwards. "You live here?" Her tone was incredulous and she got the feeling he was silently laughing at her given the slight twitch of his mouth.

"Not exactly," was the rumbling reply from beside her before she was urged to move up the stairs. As they moved through the door and started up the stairs she heard him grunt quietly and mutter "Regretting taking the apartment on the top floor right now, though."

Glancing up the stairs and back to Barton, Shay smirked slightly "Come on Barton, you're a big boy who just kicked God knows how many asses while injured at the hospital. I'm pretty sure you can haul your ass up a couple more flights of stairs." Adjusting the bag on her shoulder she continued on up the stairs, getting ahead of him and glancing back over her shoulder she caught his eyes following her moments before he dropped his eyes and trudged on up the stairs.

When they reached the top floor she watched curiously as he moved the fire extinguisher and pressed a section of the wall to open a hidden panel, grabbed a key from the small opening and replaced the extinguisher before moving to an apartment door. Once the door was open she moved inside, her gaze scanning the open plan living and dining room, setting the bag on the coffee table she sat down onto the leather couch and listened to his booted feet quietly thudding down the hall.

Tugging her hoodie off she dropped it on the arm of the couch before flopping down to stare at the ceiling, it really had been a hell of a twenty four hours. She found her thoughts wandering to Tyler and how he was doing. Closing her eyes she tried to right her scrambled thought processes it was rather disconcerting to her how she was jumping all over the place at the moment. One minute she was focused on her job and Barton's injuries, the next she was contemplating jumping the extremely hot and wounded guy's bones.

She forced herself up off the couch and collected the bag before heading off down the hallway, the first doorway she passed upon inspection appeared to be an office, and the next looked as though at one point it had been a guest room that had been refurbished into a small gym. Given that she hadn't spotted Barton in either of the two rooms it stood to reason that he was in the room through the final door.

Crossing the threshold into what seemed to be the only bedroom in the apartment, Shay pulled up short as her gaze suddenly fell upon the sight of Barton's bare ass. She couldn't prevent the strangled groan that escaped as she turned suddenly to face the hallway, she was not having the best run of luck as that made twice in twenty four hours that she'd been unexpectedly graced with the delicious yet distracting view of that magnificently sculptured ass.

"You can turn around now," his voice sounded pained and slightly exhausted, which snapped her thoughts back to the present from the dangerous territory she'd been falling into. Turning in the direction of Barton's voice she found him sitting on the end of the bed, elbows resting on his knees and hands buried in his hair. Shay was grateful to see that he'd pulled on a pair of obviously well worn grey sweat pants.

Crossing the distance between them with several long strides she set the bag down beside his feet. Dropping to her knees in front of him she reached up to pull her hair back into a haphazard ponytail securing it with the hair tie she'd had on her wrist.

"You were in more pain than you let on, weren't you?" she admonished while curling her hands about his wrists, tilting her head to look into his eyes for the truth. Stroking her thumbs lightly over his inner wrists briefly she had to remind herself to turn her attention to his injuries. Reluctantly releasing his wrists she pulled the bag closer to her and hurriedly opened it. Those grey eyes were way too easy to get lost in.

"Maybe. I'm not exactly good with the whole seeking medical treatment thing. My best friend…..she often calls me an idiot for not getting my wounds treated by a professional." His tone of voice was a mixture of truthful and wry which had her cocking one brow upwards as she pulled on a pair of latex gloves. "Now it seems I'm going to have my own personal professional to tend my injuries." She caught the awe in his tone and eyes mere moments before one strong hand curled around the nape of her neck as he brought his mouth down on hers in a tender kiss.

Shay froze momentarily, her brain stalling as her heart fluttered, as his mouth moved against hers trying to coax a response from her she couldn't stop the quiet keen that slipped free as her hands settled on his well muscled thighs before responding to the firm unrelenting pressure of his mouth upon hers. Pulling back after several minutes, more than slightly breathless, her brain kick-started back into gear as she licked her lips and quipped, "That's kind of a big assumption there, buster."

When his free hand curled about her right wrist and tugged her hand to where their mark resided below his left hipbone, he leant forward so his mouth rested by her ear and murmured, "No assumption, darlin', this thing isn't exactly reversible you know. You can't alter Fate. Believe me I've tried that before."

"There is no fate but what we make for ourselves," she commented dryly as she eased her wrist free of his grasp. Setting both hands against his ribs she nudged gently in an attempt to get Barton to straighten. When he straightened she nudged his knees apart to inch in closer while leaning forward slightly to check on his wounds to ensure that none of them had reopened.

When his husky laugh sounded from above her head she blinked, diverting her gaze from old scarring along his ribs to his face. One of his hands reached up to brush a strand of hair from her eyes as he spoke, "Now you're using Terminator quotes? Nice to know you have decent taste in movies."

The fact that he'd known which movie she'd taken the quote from her was a little startling and caused her to study his face a little more intently. "What can I say, I love Cameron's early work, not so much after Avatar. I'm sorry but ten foot tall blue feline looking aliens?" she teased as her gaze fell to the bandage on his left shoulder which looked to be good, not too much excess bleeding which meant he hadn't reopened any of the wounds during their hospital escapade.

It didn't escape her notice that way his face fell slightly at the mention of Aliens, granted with what had happened here two years back it was probably an understandable reaction, still she figured it'd be best to try and change the subject so casually asked "Out of curiosity, where exactly on you are my words?"

She couldn't recall seeing them anywhere during the first time she'd treated him, nor in the hospital or even now so she couldn't help being curious as to whether or not he bore her first words to him. "I hid them. I've been given a lot of shit about it over the years. Though I'm curious what the hell I said to you that had you calling me a moron?" His tone held a mix of amusement and sadness in it that had her dropping her gaze to the bag of medical supplies.

"I'll tell you another time. Right now I need you to drop your pants." Her gaze was focused on the bags contents that she hadn't realized how her comment could be taken the wrong way till a low rumble of laughter sounded from beside her. Lifting her gaze from the bag to bemused, teasing eyes she felt her cheeks burning before dropping her gaze back to the bag to gather what she needed while muttering, "That sounded better in my head. What I meant to say was I need access to one of your ass cheeks for the morphine shot."

Finding the syringe and vial of morphine she shuffled back on her knees from between his legs and rose, moving closer to the lamp beside the bed. She heard the faint rustling of the bedding as she prepped the syringe and double checked to ensure there were no air bubbles. As she turned back to the bed she found him lying on his side, watching her over his shoulder. Sitting on the edge of the behind him she held the syringe in one hand and eased the waist band of his sweat pants down just enough to bare the flesh of his ass cheeks. His extremely taut, muscular ass cheeks. _Stop it, Shay!_ she berated herself mentally.

"This might sting a little" was the only warning she gave him before jabbing the needle into his skin and depressing the plunger of the syringe to deliver the low dose of painkiller. He didn't so much as twitch. Setting the syringe on the night table she pulled the gloves off, dropping them in the trash can by the bed, turning her gaze back to him she placed one hand on his back stroking lightly as she spoke, "Try to get some sleep."

Pushing herself up from the edge of the bed she turned and bent down to pull the covers up over Barton's body to rest on his shoulders. Brushing her lips past his ear she murmured "I'll be in the other room to let you have some peace." As she went to turn to gather the used equipment his hand shot back to grasp her wrist securely which drew her attention back to him.

She could just hear his low sleepy mumble, nowhere near enough to make out what he said however, bracing one knee on the mattress behind his back and her free hand by his shoulder she leant down to hear him. "Don't leave, please?" the quiet desperation and sheer loneliness in his tone caught her off guard and she suddenly wondered what kind of life he led that would cause him to be so alone.

It was at this moment that Shay realized she still had Tyler's blood dried on her hands. How that hadn't occurred to her prior to donning the gloves earlier she wasn't going to focus on too closely right now, so instead she whispered "Let me just go clean up then?" The only response she got was a low hum as he released her wrist. She assumed that since she hadn't seen the bathroom in her walk along the hall that it was through the only other door in the bedroom.

Stepping through the door her gaze drifted across the small bathroom which consisted of nothing more than a shower, hand basin and toilet moving to the basin she turned the taps on and went about scrubbing her hands. As she was lathering the soap up to remove the dried blood her gaze drifted up to the mirror over the basin. Leaning closer to the mirror she examined herself in the mirror curious as to if she looked any different with this sudden upheaval of her life, on closer inspection though she simply appeared to look more exhausted and worn than usual as well as a little sad.


	6. Hell's Kitchen Part Two

**Author's Note:** Thanks again to Ozhawk for being a seriously awesome friend and beta. Though your fascination to add more hot men to my head when I'm writing though appreciated at times makes by bunnies breed.

Big thanks to everyone reading, following and commenting they help to feed my muses and sedate the other plot bunnies.

**Chapter Six:** Hell's Kitchen Part Two

As Shay left the bathroom, she made sure to turn the light off. The first thing she noticed upon stepping back into the bedroom was that Barton's position had changed, there were other small indications that he'd gotten back out of the bed too, like the medical bag being moved to rest by the night stand on the vacant side of the bed, the curtain had been drawn open to let the moonlight filter in and the main light turned off.

Shaking her head slightly when she caught sight of Barton's relaxed face in the moonlight, she crossed the room to the bed. Sitting on the edge she lent down to undo her laces and pull the combat boots and socks off her feet, setting them aside she flexed her toes in the carpet. Reaching into her pocket she pulled her iPhone from the pocket and set it aside on the nightstand, before standing up to unfasten her jeans and sliding them down off her hips to pool around her ankles.

Sliding underneath the bed covers she settled against the pillows, sparing Barton's now sleeping form a glance before reaching for her phone, she figured since she felt too wired to sleep yet that she could try to do some research into both of Barton's names that she knew.

Her phone had still been set on silent from her work shift earlier so found herself slightly startled as it vibrated in her hand, quickly swiping her finger over the screen she opened the message a frown forming as she read the message from Tyler's eldest son Liam. "_Where are you?"_

That wasn't a common question from Liam so Shay knew deep down that they'd heard about Tyler and were likely trying to determine if she knew or if she was safe. She mulled over the best response to send back before opting to go with something simple. _"Bed. Exhausted. Fucking awful day. Call you in the morning?"_

Though she desperately wanted to speak to Liam and find out how Tyler was doing, deep down she knew that if she let on to Liam that she knew Tyler was shot, Liam would have no qualms about having her phone traced and he'd be kicking down the door quicker than one could say NYPD.

As she expected the search on Jason Walsh gave her exactly the same information Tyler had given her earlier, so she didn't bother reading up on that and instead focused her search on Clint Barton. The very first thing she came across appeared to be a short interview with the Avengers' resident archer Hawkeye, in all honesty she couldn't figure out exactly why that had been relevant to her search until she opened the link and was met with an image of Barton with his arm draped around the shoulders of a stunning woman with fiery red hair.

As she was reading the article she found that her inner personas were having a couple of different reactions, her good girl persona was giddy about the fact her soulmate was apparently Hawkeye the delectable archer of the Avengers, her bad girl persona was utterly furious at the red head that was draped all over _her_ man. Reading further into the article, she discovered the redhead was the Black Widow, she chose to exit out of the page without reading the rest of the story in an effort to tamp down the jealousy that was churning just below the surface.

In truth she knew that he wasn't hers yet, even though fate had paired and bound them together so irrevocably that there would never be anyone else for either of them. Still, she knew he could always choose to walk away from her just as she could walk away from him. Which would condemn them both to only living a half life. People who walked away from their soulmates inevitably ended up alone and miserable.

When she opened what appeared to be Barton's SHIELD personnel file, that raised a few red flags internally. Surely an agency such as SHIELD wouldn't have their personnel files accessible through the internet? As her gaze darted over the screen of her phone, she caught sight of the time and realised she'd been reading for hours.

While reading bits and pieces of the file she reached over with her free hand to gently shake Barton's shoulder quietly calling "Barton, wake up. You need to look at this." Unfortunately her only response was a low grunt and his hand entangling with hers and tugging it beneath the bedding.

Sliding closer to him she worked to disentangle her hand from his and brought it up to gently stroke his cheek in an effort to rouse him from his slumber. At the time that had seemed like a good idea until his newly free hand found itself a new home curled high about one of her thighs.

Her gentle strokes turned into a light slap across his cheek, which had a better result as sleepy grey eyes opened and blinked several times. When she was sure he was actually awake she turned her phone screen towards him while querying "Is it normal for this to be on the internet for every Tom, Dick and Harry to see?"

When his hand that wasn't occupied with stroking her thigh, which was actually rather distracting, reached out to take her phone she turned her gaze towards the ceiling briefly. That was until the hand on her thigh tightened on the verge of painful, causing her to wince and turn her head back in his direction just as he growled "How did you get this? This is my classified file!"

"It came up when I was googling you," was her simple, matter-of-fact reply. In hindsight, however, she probably should have taken a moment longer to think before answering, because his hand tightened further on her thigh causing her to yelp in pain. She attempted to roll away from him in an effort to free herself from his grip, not that she got far, since when he released his grip on her thigh he instead moved quickly to settle his weight on top of her.

"Not possible darlin', SHIELD has top notch encryption that keeps their files secure. So again I ask, how did you get this?" His voice rumbling by her ear combined with the firm grip his free hand now held on her chin sent a shiver of fear down the length of her spine.

Closing her eyes she took a few deep breaths to try and lockdown the fear beginning to spread through her, she had just finished reading bits and pieces of his file and knew he was a trained killer who could probably snap her neck like a twig if he felt so inclined.

As Shay opened her eyes and met Barton's mercurial gaze, she could see his anger boiling just below the surface. Moving one hand she poked lightly at his wounded shoulder before resting her hand over the wound while murmuring "Do you really think if I was hacking into a government agency's personnel files, from a phone mind you, that I'd be stupid enough to wake you and point out what I'm doing?"

Cocking one brow upwards she quietly watched, intrigued, as his eyes flitted between colours. Her first thought was it was rather like watching a mood ring. Her next thought was that if she survived this meeting then she'd have to try to figure out what colour equated to what mood.

When his eyes finally settled back to the blue-grey she assumed was his standard colour and his body relaxed against hers, she found herself distracted by the sensations of all that lean, toned and muscular body pinning her to the mattress. Blinking rapidly, she frowned, then sparing her phone in his hand a glance she asked "Wait, so if that's not supposed to be public knowledge then can the people after you track us by the fact that your file is still open on my phone?"

His muttered curse as he fumbled to try and switch her phone off was cut short by the echoing sound of thudding from the front of the apartment. After he threw the bedding back and braced his hands on either side of her head her gaze drifted to his biceps as he pushed himself up onto his knees. The only possible response she could make to that particular sight was a quietly gasped "Oh….wow."

Shay blinked again as his head turned, and that hypnotic gaze of his swept her body cocking one brow upwards as he spoke, "Darlin', as much as I appreciate the view, I'd much rather not share it with the guys coming to try and kill us. So might I suggest pants?"

His tone was a mixture of teasing and what she was pretty sure was possessiveness. Scrambling from the bed to gather her jeans she pulled them on, hastily fastening them before directing a stern look his way and muttering "Shut up, I wasn't going to try and sleep in jeans, do you have any idea how much that chafes?"

As he moved to the head of the bed and reached under both pillows to retrieve two pistols she tilted her head slightly, watching him as he stood before quipping "You always sleep with weapons in reach?"

"Pretty much, I'm assuming you read at least some of my file, enough to know what I do." As he stepped closer she nodded, though as he pressed one of the pistols into her hand she shook her head and tried to hand it back. She had a rather bad history when it came to guns and honestly didn't want anything to do with one right now.

Barton's free hand curled about the nape of her neck as he rested his forehead against hers while murmuring "Humour me, ok? I need to know you have some way of defending yourself."

"Fine. Just don't blame me if I inadvertently shoot you in the ass." She knew she was being snarky right then but it was better than the alternative of a panic attack, though she was oddly comforted by the fact that despite not really knowing anything about her he was concerned for her safety. When he went to pull away she shifted slightly to brush her lips lightly against his before whispering "Don't worry about me, worry more about yourself. If they get you it's all over."

A small smile curved his lips, and then he shook his head. "No, darlin'. If they get _you_ it's all over for me anyway."


	7. Trouble

**Author's Note:** So just a random note but my pain in the backside, crack headed muses up and decided to change their minds on what Shay looks like. Her Image is now based on Eliza Dushku though her height remains at five foot four, no ones going to miss an inch given that Eliza herself passed herself off as five foot four in her short lived tv show Tru Calling.

But I digress a little there aside from the change in looks, I want to thank people for all their support, and I will warn in advance now that chapter's ten, eleven and twelve went smutty, like seriously smutty Clint went totally overboard in my head and it carried across.

**Chapter Seven:** Trouble

"Darlin' do me a favour and open the window over there at the fire escape," Clint drawled as he tugged his combat boots on before crossing the length of the bedroom silently to close and lock the door, detouring on his way back to where Shay waited by the window, he stopped by the bag containing the medical supplies. Dropping Shay's turned off phone into the bag he zipped it shut and slung it over his good shoulder as he made his way back to her, but when she went to climb out the window he caught her wrist in his free hand, shaking his head when she glanced back at him.

"We're not going out that way. We're going through the bathroom hatch into the loft." Releasing her wrist Clint then placed his hand upon the small of her back guiding her into the bathroom, once inside he silently shut the door and moved through the darkness with practiced ease to the cupboard beneath the sink, where he crouched down to open the door and blindly felt around inside for the two flashlights he kept there.

Turning one on Clint handed it back to her before grabbing the other. Sliding the bag from his shoulder he passed it to Shay, stepping up onto the lid of the toilet he then stepped across onto the counter, reaching up with the torch he pushed up to trigger the hidden trap door's catch.

Silently holding his torch back towards Shay he breathed a silent sigh of relief when she took it without being asked. Flicking the safety back on his gun he tucked it into the waistband of his sweat pants before kicking off the counter to catch the edge of the loft's entry.

As he was hauling himself into the loft he heard the muffled sound of the apartment's main door finally giving way, turning around he leant half way back through the hole, extending his good arm and head back through the hole for the bag and flashlight.

Pulling the bag up he turned to set it to one side, turning back to the entryway Clint saw that Shay was already halfway in. Reaching down he hooked his hand into the back waistband of her jeans to help haul her the rest of the way in, closing the hatch behind her.

Crawling across the space to a large skylight Clint pushed it open and hoisted two pre-packed bags out onto the roof before climbing out and reaching back to take the medical bag from Shay so she could climb out too.

Crouching by one of the bags Clint pulled the zip open enough that he could rifle around the bag, eventually pulling out a grey t-shirt. Donning it with a wince as his stitches pulled, he zipped the bag back up and was about to stand when Shay's lips brushed his ear as she whispered "Now what?"

As he stood Clint lifted the backpack and handed it to Shay before crouching down to pick up the medical bag in one hand and his small duffel bag in the other, inclining his head towards the stairwell entry as he started walking in that direction he responded in the same hushed tone "Now we get to the building across the road, down onto the street and back to the truck."

"Not to burst your bubble or anything here, but how do you expect us to get over there? It's not like I've ever been a tightrope walker." Clint could hear the slight waver of fear in Shay's voice despite her smart-assed remark. Turning his head he watched as she examined the zip line.

"I have, it's not as hard as it looks once you know how. But you don't have to worry, we'll be zip lining across." Reaching into a small alcove just above where the zip line attached to the bricks Clint pulled out a small kit, flipping it open he hooked a carabiner through the handle of each of the bags.

Attaching the carabiners to the bottom of a pulley he rose to attach the pulley to the cable and set the bags on the trip across to the other building, before returning to pull two harnesses out. He tossed one in Shay's direction, murmuring "Put that on."

Straightening, Clint pulled his own harness on, tightening the straps before he attached the carabiner. Moving across to where Shay was dragging her harness into place he reached out, tugging the straps to tighten the harness.

Crossing back to the zip line he stepped up onto the edge of the building. Extending a hand out to Shay he quirked one brow as her gaze drifted between him, the building at the other end of the zip line and then the street below. "We need to go. They'll check the roof eventually and we really don't want to be here when they do."

He breathed a silent sigh of relief when Shay stepped up onto the ledge to join him. Clint reached down to connect them together and clip onto the pulley. Wrapping his good arm around her waist, he rested his forehead against hers before stepping back off the ledge to send them swooshing across the line.

Once on the other side he hit the quick release catch before unhooking their harnesses, reluctantly pulling away from her and going to recover the bags from where they currently hung.

His large duffle he slung over his good shoulder, keeping the medical bag in his hand while heading for the stairwell, he heard more than saw Shay following him as her boots crunched softly on the rooftop.

Clint hurried down the stairs, forcing himself to move as fast as was possible in his current condition, he'd found since the Loki incident two years ago that pain killers didn't seem to affect him for as long as they should anymore, not that he minded. Generally he loathed the way his thoughts and actions were dulled by the pain killers so for his head to be clear right now was a bonus, the downside however was the dull throbbing ache lingering in his shoulder and side.

The sensation of a soft, warm yet firm hand grasping his drew Clint back to the dire reality of their situation. Giving Shay's hand a firm squeeze he ushered them in an even quicker pace back in the direction of their borrowed truck.

As they arrived back at the truck Clint slipped his hand from Shay's to yank the driver's side door open, letting her in first as he opened the back door to dump his two bags in the back seat.

Climbing in behind Shay it occurred to Clint that he'd left the truck's keys in the pocket of the tactical vest which currently resided on the floor of the apartment's bedroom. "Fuck, I forgot the keys," he cursed quietly as his head dropped to rest on the steering wheel, this little slip up he could blame on one of two things, the pain medication or the distraction that Shay posed to his senses.

"Well that wasn't exactly the brightest move." Shay's voice was quietly teasing and followed by a soft breathy laugh. Squeezing his eyes shut he banged his head on the steering wheel while contemplating what their next move was going to be.

He was busy trying to recall his lessons from Natasha in how to hot wire a vehicle when he felt a firm shove to his right knee he shifted his leg and opened his eyes to glance through the gap of the steering wheel, briefly catching chocolate eyes peering up at him as Shay muttered "Tyler's going to kill me for this."

Clint couldn't help but watch curiously as Shay stuck the torch in her mouth and began to pluck out the wiring from beneath the steering wheel and within a matter of minutes had the truck's engine rumbling to life. Watching as she slid out from beneath the steering wheel to sit beside him he queried "So do all paramedics learn how to hot wire a vehicle?"

Throwing the truck into gear and pulling back out onto the street a strangled bitter laugh sounded from beside him mere moments before he felt Shay settle against him. He wasn't sure whether or not an answer would be forthcoming so for the time being focused his attention on the road as he expertly manoeuvred the truck back into the city.

"No they don't, which is why I said Tyler is going to kill me. Let's just say that I wasn't always a model citizen." Shay whispered it so quietly that he'd almost missed it and he got the distinct impression that there was a story waiting to be told there, but he wasn't going to push for it just yet.

The silence that lingered in the truck's cab was disconcerting and was only broken by Shay's low whistle as she leant forward to look out at the Avengers Tower as he turned in off the street.

Turning the truck down towards the underground parking he wound the window down as he pulled to a stop at the speaker box "JARVIS, its Barton, I need you to open up."

"Apologies Mr Barton, I am unable to accommodate your request at this time." That response from JARVIS had Clint blinking in mild confusion as his gaze turned to Shay as she shrugged before leaning across him and out the window.

"Is there a reason why you can't accommodate his request, Mr Jarvis?" Clint sucked in a breath and held it as he tried not to focus on the way Shay's breasts were pressed firmly against his forearm. He was after all only human and had been without female companionship for a long time, and now suddenly he had a beautiful conundrum of a soulmate almost intimately draped across him as she tried to charm Stark's AI.

"Under current circumstances Miss, with Sir's incapacitation and the events that have transpired at the Triskelion I am under strict orders not to admit any personnel associated with SHIELD into the Tower at this time."

Clint's first thought was to wonder what the hell had Tony incapacitated and entrusting his and Pepper's safety solely to JARVIS, the AI could only do so much and was possibly at risk of being corrupted through hacking or a well placed virus. His second thought he voiced aloud, though whether he was aiming the question towards Stark's AI or Shay he wasn't certain. "What the hell happened at the Triskelion?"

"It would appear, Mr Barton, that over the years HYDRA has infiltrated SHIELD's ranks. As previously stated, Miss Potts has requested I prevent access to the tower to any personnel associated with SHIELD until we can ascertain who may be HYDRA." If Clint didn't know better he'd swear JARVIS's tone was haughty. As Shay pulled herself back from the window he met her questioning gaze as he reversed back out from the underground entry.

"Holy shit," was the only remark he made aloud. His mind, though, was churning with possibilities and questions. Not least of which was '_Where the hell is Tasha?'_


	8. Reunions

**Author's Note: **So an unexpected visitor pops up in this chapter and if she seems a little OOC I apologise but it's what I could see her doing in this particular situation where Clint was concerned.

**Chapter Eight: **Reunions

The past few days had definitely been the longest, weirdest and most confusing of Shay's entire life. She'd never once considered how much someone's life could change simply by meeting their soulmate. Her well balanced normal life had gone right out the window and was replaced with something a lot more hectic, between fleeing for their lives, a thirty two hour drive to Jackson Wyoming and tending to Clint's injuries as necessary she was feeling more than a little exhausted.

The only upside Shay could see to being stuck on a farm in the middle of nowhere was that it meant they didn't have to keep on the move and it gave Clint the time he needed to rest and recuperate. Not that he was actually doing a whole lot of either; when she'd been getting ready to leave the farmhouse just over an hour earlier he'd been nowhere in sight.

Shay knew that Clint also wasn't getting much sleep, she'd either hear him moving about the house from the spare room she'd claimed or she'd pass him looking ragged and worn in the hall when she couldn't sleep. It also hadn't escaped her notice how the painkillers she had been giving him for the past couple of days didn't seem to be working anywhere near as long as they should be.

Clint hadn't talked much. He'd bought several disposal mobile phones on the way out here and spent the first day dialling numbers and getting no response. Since then he'd become progressively quieter and grimmer. He spent hours every day outside, and all he would say to Shay about where he'd been was "Don't go outside without checking with me. You might set something off."

Frustrated and going slowly stir-crazy, she'd finally got sick of eating canned food and suggested that she take the truck into the town – a good fifteen miles away – to get some fresh food and supplies. Clint had looked for a moment as though he might argue, or insist on coming with her, but it was also obvious he didn't want to be seen by anyone who might know him.

He'd evaded the question when Shay had asked him how long he'd owned the farm. "A while. Haven't been here much lately."

She hadn't pressed the point. Yes, he was incredibly attractive, and yes, he was her soulmate – but he was obviously a deeply private man with some terrifying, lethal enemies. She kept her distance, and he seemed happy to let her while he attempted to contact allies. Or people who he hoped were allies, anyway.

Shay smiled politely, said hello and "Just passing through" when the cashier at the supermarket attempted to engage her in conversation. Clint had handed her a thick wad of cash as she left the house, and made her take one of his 'burner' phones as he called them.

"Please be back in ninety minutes," he said, "or make sure you call me if you're running late."

Shay nodded. She was almost tempted to keep driving. Just head back to New York and leave Clint to sort out his demons. There was a Missing Persons report out on her now, but there were literally thousands of people missing and she seriously doubted anyone would recognise her from the one small image of her that had appeared in the newspaper.

In the end, though, she loaded the groceries – and extra blankets, the weather was bitterly cold and the farmhouse not the most modern building – and drove back to the farm.

There was another car parked in front of the house. Shay stopped the truck halfway down the drive, terror creeping up her spine. Who was it? Enemies or friends? It wasn't as though they would get random visitors out here in the middle of nowhere. Even the entrance to the farm was difficult to find, a near-invisible track through thick woodland. Undecided, she sat in the truck, the engine running.

Clint came out of the house then and waved her onward. He had the first true smile on his face she'd seen since they'd met. Must be friends of his, then. Easing the truck up to the house Shay parked it and unwound the wires to cut the engine, climbing out of the cab and yanking open the back door she reached in to collect the three brown paper shopping bags.

Balancing them awkwardly in her arms Shay stepped back and turned using her hip to close the door, before she could even make a move towards the porch stairs she found herself looking at Clint as he relieved her of two of the three bags. She had to admit he looked different with a smile, he didn't look as closed off, as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"So I see you got some visitors while I was gone?" Shay asked casually as her gaze drifted to the non-descript black sedan before returning to Clint's back as she followed him up the porch steps.

"I did, an old friend and work colleague." Shay cocked her head slightly as she quietly watched Clint; even his tone of voice seemed lighter and relaxed as did his body language. She did have to admit it was good to see him happier, following him into the kitchen she stopped suddenly in the doorway, her gaze drifting to the stranger.

Leaning against the counter was a woman four inches taller than her with shoulder length dark brown hair, wearing an elegant black pant suit. Following Clint to the counter she got the feeling the other woman was silently studying her.

Shay was just starting to put the groceries away as Clint exited the kitchen and moments later the porch door banged gently. A throat clearing drew her chocolate gaze from the fruit to meet the other woman's piercing blue eyes, prompting her to query; "Is there something I can get for you, Miss?"

"No, I don't want anything from the likes of you." The cold and callous tone of the other woman's voice caused Shay's brow to furrow as she tried to figure out exactly what the other woman meant.

"Excuse me? Just what exactly are you implying?" Shay dropped the fruit roughly into the bowl on the counter before moving her hands to grip the counter's edge as she did her best to focus on her breathing and not lose her temper.

"That you are just another in a long line of dalliances and bed warmers for Barton. Just another woman throwing herself at one of the Avengers." Shay stiffened her shoulders, tensing as her knuckles turned white from her death grip upon the counter, this woman whose name she didn't even and who didn't even know her had essentially just called her a slut to her face.

Letting go of the counter Shay turned to stalk from the kitchen but found her exit blocked by Clint. As she squeezed her way past him she spat back over her shoulder "Such lovely friends you have."

As she stormed up the stairs Shay clearly heard Clint's voice, his tone that of barely contained menace as he growled "Maria, that was uncalled for. You would do well to remember I don't work for you anymore and what I am capable of."

Slamming the door to her small room shut as the sound of a heated argument drifted up the stairs, Shay made her way to the small wardrobe. Yanking it open she started to pull the few clothes she'd bought with her own money free of the hangers and forcefully shove them into a knapsack.

She heard the car roar off down the road as a knock sounded on the door moments before it creaked open and Shay heard the thud of Clint's boots cross the threshold. She heard his throat clear before his voice rumbled "Shay, I'm sorry for what she…" as his sentence cut short she turned, slinging the knapsack over her shoulder "Wait, you're leaving? Where are you going?"

Straightening her shoulders Shay swore to herself she wasn't going to cry, even though she could feel moisture welling in her eyes, tilting her head to study him she sighed before quietly stating "Why would I stay? Your friend all but accused me of being a fame hungry slut."

When he went to speak Shay raised one hand and shook her head murmuring; "I'm not finished yet." She waited till he nodded before continuing.

"I left my friends and the closest thing I had to a family in New York for _you_. You're my soulmate and were adamant you weren't leaving without me. Yet since we've got here, you've ignored me. The most you've spoken to me is to tell me not to go outside. Frankly, if this is how our relationship is going to be I'm done and I'm going home." Shay had never really been an emotional person, which was why this sensation of feeling as though her heart was shattering felt like a freight train hitting her square in the chest.

While deep down Shay had always known she never wanted to find or have anything to do with her soulmate after witnessing the debacle that was her parents, now that she'd actually met him a tiny little part of her had desperately hoped that things would actually work and she could have even the tiniest sliver of the happiness she'd always witnessed in Tyler's relationship with his wife.

For several long moments, they stared at each other. And then Clint sighed, scrubbed a hand through his short hair and gave her a very slight, crooked smile. "Please don't go, Shay."

She only raised her eyebrows, letting him know that those few words were in no way enough explanation for his behaviour, nor enough to convince her to change her mind. He bit his lip for a moment, his eyes searching her face, and then finally he seemed to come to a decision. He nodded.

"Please would you come and sit with me so we can talk? There – are some things I need to tell you. If you still want to go when I'm done, I won't try to stop you."


	9. Revelations

**Author's Note: **Thanks again to the lovely Ozhawk for being an awesome beta, ass kicker and rabid plot bunny hunter extraordinaire as well as a huge thanks to those of you reading and commenting.

**Chapter Nine:** Revelations

He could see the indecision warring on Shay's face but was mildly relieved when she nodded. Turning he exited the room and made his way back downstairs to settle on the couch. Clint watched silently as Shay moved into the lounge, dropping her knapsack on one of the arm chairs before she positioned herself on the arm of the couch furthest from him.

Running a hand through his hair again Clint sighed and repositioned himself to face Shay, letting his hand drop from his hair to rest on the back of the couch, watching as she crossed her ankles and made herself comfortable. "I'm sorry for shutting you out Shay. My life hasn't exactly been conducive to building trust."

"When I found out about what happened at the Triskelion and was unable to get in touch with those I do trust, well I guess I went into survival mode and forgot that you…" Trailing off momentarily he tried to find the word he was after.

"Existed?" He blinked as she spoke, before her choice of words registered causing him to wince.

"Blunt, but technically accurate. You're now in a sense an extension of me and I should have trusted you, protected you and let you know what was going on in here." He lifted one hand and tapped his temple.

"Instead I withdrew into old habits and left you in the dark, not to mention put you at risk. If you'd ignored my advice and gone outside, well let's just say I've set a lot of traps around the property." He chanced a glimpse at Shay who was simply sitting there silently watching him with one brow arched slightly upwards.

"You saw some of my file, I've been a killer most of my life. Two years ago I could count the number of people I trust on one hand before that circle expanded." Clint suspected he was rambling, not that he'd ever actually admit to that, but he wasn't used to discussing himself with anybody.

"You have trust issues, I get that Clint, I truly do, but how does that excuse you being an utter asshole?" The soft tone of her voice combined with her choice of words caught him off guard, namely because she'd called him Clint, not Barton.

"I guess it doesn't, but you still needed to know. When your brother tries to kill you when you're fifteen it can screw you up more than you'd expect." Settling his back against the couch he closed his eyes while dropping his head back to rest upon the couch back.

He knew his life was one giant screw up after another, and now he'd just gone and managed to screw up possibly the one good thing he had deep down been looking forward to.

Shay stared at him, still uncertain, but beginning to understand. Clint's file had disappeared off the internet less than a day after appearing – as had most of the other SHIELD files – but she'd seen enough to know that his background was about as bad as it could possibly be. She supposed it was pretty much inevitable, given that background and his career as an assassin, that he _would_ have serious trust issues.

The change in his demeanour was obvious to her, in the span of thirty minutes he'd gone from being smiling, happy and relaxed to glowering, miserable and tense and she felt bad for being part of the cause. Spinning around on the arm of the couch Shay rose and moved towards Clint before flopping ungracefully onto the couch beside him the back of her hand resting against his.

"Clint, I understand that you're a private person and probably have a history of keeping things bottled up, but if this….if _we_ are going to work I need you to at least try and share with me what's going on." Nudging his arm lightly with her shoulder Shay turned her head to meet his sky blue eyes, those eyes really were hypnotic with how their colour randomly changed.

"I know I told you that I never wanted this but I was upset and angry when I said that. I've seen a lot of bad shit happen between soulmates and very little good, but I want to give us a shot." Shay felt the brush of calloused fingers against hers briefly before they entwined with hers and a slight smile graced Clint's face.

Shay felt her lips twitch into a slight grin in return before she dropped her head to rest lightly on his shoulder, though when her stomach rumbled loudly and drew a low chuckle from Clint she groaned. "This is not funny, that canned crap we've been eating has no nutritional benefit."

"It's a little funny and that canned crap as you put it can keep you alive regardless of nutrition." The teasing note to his voice caused Shay to chuckle softly. Pushing herself off the couch she tugged their entangled hands in an attempt to get him to stand.

"Come on, if we're going to be sharing deep, dark secrets then I think we both need to eat something decent first." As he rose with practised ease Shay couldn't help studying the way his muscles flexed with each movement.

"So long as you're not cooking darlin', the last time you cooked you managed to burn the beans." His voice rumbled still with that teasing tone as the slight smile he wore turned into a wicked grin. Shay rolled her eyes and started towards the kitchen, Clint a step behind her.

"Excuse me, you were the one who walked into the kitchen fresh out of the shower in nothing but those damned sweatpants while still damp, distracting me, so of course I burnt the beans." Shay quipped turning to face Clint as she stepped backwards into the kitchen, stopping briefly until he came into her personal space.

"But if you want to cook, be my guest, I'll quite happily cut vegetables and watch you slave over a hot stove." Shay sassed.

A glint appeared in Clint's eye, as he leaned closer murmuring "Do I distract you, darlin'?"

Shay swallowed, her gaze drifting from Clint's eyes to his mouth and back. "I think you know you do." Shay said quietly.

"We might not have been talking much, but that doesn't mean we haven't both been looking, you know that as well as I do." Shay brought her free hand up, curling it about the nape of Clint's neck, as she leant in closing the slight distance between them to briefly capture his mouth with her own.

Pulling back from Clint's mouth Shay took a small amount of satisfaction in the low groan he made as he rested his forehead against hers before he groused "Now that's just cruel."

She couldn't help the smile that tugged at her mouth. Stepping out of Clint's personal space Shay turned towards the kitchen counter and with a slight shrug of her shoulders said "A little, yes, but you deserved it. Back to the topic on hand however, we are going to talk even if it's while making dinner."

"I don't do well with emotional darlin', I do physical so much better. Sure I can't distract you?" Shaking her head and slipping free of Clint's grasp, Shay sauntered to the kitchen counter where she began to rifle through the grocery bags.

When Clint joined her at the counter Shay handed him the two steaks, as she prepped the vegetables he started on the steaks. As they worked Shay quietly listened as Clint opened up, sharing heartbreaking stories about his childhood and even more brutal adolescence.

Clint had to admit he found it easier to talk about his past with Shay while she kept busy flitting around the kitchen, not staring at him, though he found himself staring at her as she reached up into the cupboards.

Turning his attention back to the grill plate Clint was more than a little nervous over what Shay's reaction to his past was going to be, he couldn't get a read on her reaction to what he'd revealed so far. As he'd been speaking she'd been deathly silent, her attention focused on anything but him which didn't help to alleviate his nervousness any.

Deep down Clint had a feeling that at the end of the night Shay would be walking out that door and out of his life and that thought twisted like a knife in his gut. He'd only just finished sharing the story of how his brother had almost killed him and the only insight he had as to what Shay was thinking was the sharp intake of her breath and clatter of the cutlery as she'd dropped it and glanced briefly in his direction.

When two plates piled with a mixture of steamed and grilled vegetables appeared in his peripheral vision Clint placed a piece of steak on each plate. Turning the grill off he moved to the fridge, grabbing out two beers before moving towards the table where Shay was setting the plates down.

Handing one of the bottles off to Shay, Clint arched one brow upwards as he watched her pop the cap off the beer bottle against the table and take a long drink. Popping his own open he took a swig as he tugged the chair out with his foot and sat down at the table.

As they ate in a companionable silence Clint internally debated over whether or not to reveal the biggest mistake of his life to Shay. Finally, after finishing his meal he pushed his plate forward on the table and reached for his beer, rolling the bottle between his hands.

Taking a large swig of his beer Clint took a moment to steady himself, this revelation would likely be the one to drive Shay from his life, shattering his already fractured heart entirely into tiny irreparable pieces. Turning slightly in his seat so he could try to gauge her reaction he blurted "I was married, once."

Shay spluttered and coughed as her mouthful of beer went down the wrong way, turning to stare at him as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before asking "I'm sorry, I'm not sure I heard that correctly. Did you just say that you're married?"

"_Was_ married," he corrected quietly. Blinking, Shay tried to process that particular piece of information; as far as she knew most soulmates refrained from marrying until they'd found each other.

Shay could hear the slightest waver in his voice but couldn't quite place exactly what it was; rising from her seat she gathered her plate and retreated to the sink to clean up while she tried to get her whirling thoughts and emotions under control.

As she worked cleaning up the dishes Shay listened as Clint told the story; he'd followed her to the sink and now sat on the edge of the counter to her left as he continued his tale of entrapment at the hands of a devious woman.

The deeper Clint got into the tale the more Shay heard his voice wavering, when he revealed that his wife had tricked him into believing she was his soulmate she was struck with the overwhelming desire to wring the unknown woman's neck and instead contented herself to wringing the dishcloth between her hands as she muttered "Bitch."

Turning her head to look at Clint, Shay found herself looking into wary smoky eyes. Dropping the dishcloth she dried her hands on the towel before reaching out to brush the backs of her fingers against his hand as she spoke. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere. Your past isn't going to make me run like some scared teenager. In fact knowing that your life has been just as rough if not rougher than mine makes me want this to work."

Well, that certainly hadn't been the reaction he was expecting. Sliding off the counter, Clint turned to face Shay as she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his waist while tilting her head slightly upwards to look at him. He reached one hand up to run it through her hair, in awe of the acceptance he both saw in her eyes and heard in her words.

"I may not have known much about you, Clint, but that doesn't mean I didn't already care for you."

"Shay," he uttered, absolutely awed by her faith in him. He wanted to kiss her quite desperately, but her next words stopped him cold.

"There's one more thing I need to know. Who was that woman, and what does her coming here mean for you? For _us_?"

He took a deep breath and let her go, stepping back. "That was Maria Hill. She used to be second-in-command of SHIELD. My boss, in effect. She gave me some good news about my friends – well, about the very few people I call friends. They all made it through the Triskelion disaster okay. SHIELD's gone but we're regrouping in Stark Industries – privatising global security, Maria called it. My record's clear and I can go back to the Tower and get back to work with the Avengers any time I want."

The happy, relaxed expression had come back to his face as he spoke.

"That's really great, Clint," Shay said honestly. "But – what does that mean for me?"

He gave her a puzzled look, not understanding.

"I'm listed as a missing person, and as a person of interest in the case of Tyler's shooting. I can't just go back to New York and walk back into my old life. Nor do I plan to stay a fugitive forever."

_Oh my God, I totally forgot to tell Maria to fix that_. The thought raced through Clint's mind as he stared at Shay, and he slowly flushed with guilt. God, he'd been a total selfish asshole, hadn't he? Hadn't thought of Shay's predicament at all.

"I'm gonna fix that," he said firmly, grabbed one of his burner phones and dialled a number. "JARVIS, it's Clint. Are you talking to me again? Good. I've got a problem I need you to fix…"

Shay thought, as she watched Clint, that he seemed to come alive again now he had a problem to deal with, a target to aim at. His eyes flashed electric blue, his hands moved animatedly as he strode back and forth in the kitchen. He'd never looked sexier to her.

The deeper Clint got into his conversation the more he paced, which lead to Shay's gaze focusing on that magnificent denim clad ass, licking her suddenly dry lips she realised that she really needed to get out of the kitchen.

She made her way silently down the hallway and out onto the porch, the chill growing in the air helped to clear the lusty haze from her head. Hoisting herself onto the porch railing Shay rested her back against one of the support pillars, her legs dangling freely either side of the rail.

Closing her eyes Shay listened to the quiet stillness of the night, the stillness occasionally being broken by the hoot of an owl, the creak of the porch's flyscreen door alerting her to Clint's presence mere moments before her leg collided with his as he murmured "Here you are. I wondered where you got to."

"Sorry, needed to clear my head. You have a rather devastating effect on me." The quiet creak of the railing told her without having to look that Clint had sat back against the railing, as his hand came to rest on her left knee she forced her eyes open only to see Clint intently studying her.

"Why?" His low question had Shay blinking in confusion before he hastily clarified "I mean you told me you never wanted a soulmate and that you'd seen some bad shit happen between soulmates. So my question is why?"

Clint watched her silently, her eyes flashing with too many warring emotions for him to pinpoint her current state of mind, when Shay quietly sighed and pulled her right leg onto the rail with her knee close to her chest, hugging her arms around her knee she turned her head slightly to look over his shoulder and he wasn't entirely certain she was going to answer.

"My parents were soulmates. Like most of the stories things started out great, they fell in love, got married, had a kid, you know the usual."

Her tone of voice was cautious, Clint caught that much, but there was the slightest tinge of sadness to it and he got the impression that whatever she was about to share was very rarely discussed.

"I think I was like six the first time it happened? My mom and I came home from….well I'm not sure where we'd been honestly, I don't remember a lot of it actually. My mom had put me in my room for a nap, but there was too much noise in the other room, I remember going to see what was going on."

When she sucked in a shaky breath Clint suspected she was reliving whatever she was sharing in her head, he didn't miss the slight tremble in her hands as they clutched tightly at her shin.

"My mom was on the floor blood covering part of her face, I think I ran to her scared, but I never made it, a solid hand shoved me away towards the wall before I reached her and everything went black. When I woke it was to a sterile white room, fire burning through my arm. I was six years old and my father shoved me apparently with the same amount of force you would a grown man, I was apparently lucky to come away with a concussion and my arm broken in two places."

Clint listened silently, his anger seething just below the surface as Shay recounted more incidents of abuse at her father's hands, though when he caught the slightest change in her voice he reached out to easily turn her on the rail and slipped closer wrapping one arm around her shoulders supportively giving a gentle squeeze to urge her to continue if she could.

"I was fifteen when he killed her, I came home from school and found the apartment trashed, I could hear my dad's voice in their bedroom and assumed he'd been talking to mom." Shay shifted slightly then leaning into Clint's body as one hand fisted into the front of his t-shirt as she took a reassuring breath before continuing.

"I found him screwing our twenty-something neighbour into their bed, my mom was crumpled on the floor like a rag doll, her mirror shattered around her and there was so much blood, I must have made a sound of some sort because suddenly my dad's gaze was locked on me with a feral snarl on his face."

When Shay suddenly turned her face into his shoulder to stifle an anguished cry, Clint stroked her back soothingly, internally he was absolutely furious but he locked that part away knowing that right know she didn't need him running off on a vengeful killing spree.

"The look on his face Clint, I knew deep down I was next. The way he licked his lips as his eyes raked over my body, I think he was going to try to replace my mom with me. So I left, bolted for my room and locked my door, I threw a heap of my clothes into my mom's old duffle bag, took the cash she'd been hiding in my room for my education and clambered out the window."

Shay chanced a look at Clint, his face was emotionless, his eyes however told her an entirely different story. She could almost see his anger as a living being deep within those enigmatic eyes. Clearing the sudden lump from her throat she forced her eyes shut to prevent her tears from flowing.

Forcing himself off the railing Clint gently pulled Shay to her feet and into his chest, he'd thought nothing could be worse than what he'd had to endure during his adolescence, how wrong he was though, he did make a note to get JARVIS to try and find any information on Shay's father when he got back to the tower, if the man still lived he'd just made a very deadly and dangerous enemy.

"Clint?"

The soft whisper of his name had Clint dropping his head slightly to look into her eyes as he murmured "Yeah?"

"Distract me. Make me forget, please?"

His heart twisted at the pained tone of her voice, leaning in to close the gap between them Clint claimed her mouth, at first he used feather soft kisses, but as Shay whimpered quietly against his lips he pulled her firmly into his chest deepening the kiss as he started to back her towards the door into the house.


	10. Mind Blowing

**Author's Note:** Many thanks to everyone for sticking with me and for Ozhawk for being an awesome beta. Who I am also blaming for the current Skye/Clint idea I'm working on. Also this is the first of three chapters of smut, which I totally blame of the picture on the internet of Jeremy Renner sitting with his feet kicked up on an antique desk and a hyperactive half naked Clint Barton roaming around in my head.

**Chapter Ten:** Mind Blowing

Clint knew, even without lifting his mouth from Shay's, that they were never going to make it upstairs to his bedroom, they had barely made it inside the front door and he already felt like he was combusting.

Backing into the room to his right Clint pulled Shay along easily, his large hands gliding from her lower back to her ass, he hadn't meant things to get this far when he'd kissed her after her revelation on the porch but he also couldn't stop himself.

As the desk hit the back of his thighs Clint turned them suddenly, lifting Shay to deposit her on it, he reluctantly pulled back from the kiss aware of the fact they both needed to breathe and rested his forehead against hers while murmuring "You have a rather devastating effect on me too darlin', in case you hadn't noticed."

Clint couldn't contain the shiver that went through his body when cool hands settled beneath his shirt on his abs; it was this stark contrast on his heated skin that had him slide his hands free of their entrapment between Shay's delicious denim clad ass and the top of the antique desk she sat upon.

Leaning his torso back slightly, Clint reached back behind his head to grasp the collar of his t-shirt, pulled it easily up over his head and dropped it on the desk behind Shay. Watching her chocolate eyes widen and rake their way down his chest he couldn't stop the wicked grin that pulled at his mouth in satisfaction as her pupils blew wide.

As her gaze fell upon the dressing at his left shoulder and her brow furrowed, Clint slipped two fingers beneath her chin, tilting her head back and leaning in to nip lightly at her lips before murmuring "Don't go there. I know what I can and can't do with this type of injury."

He didn't give her a chance to respond, instead reclaiming her lips in a frenzied kiss, his free hand slipping beneath the hem of her long sleeved t-shirt to rest on her side. Their tongues battled in a war of dominance within the kiss, a war that Clint eventually lost when he was distracted by lean shapely legs wrapping around his waist.

Breaking the kiss on a groan as Shay used her legs to pull him closer while wriggling forward, Clint took the opportunity to slip his other hand beneath her shirt in order to slowly peel the material off her.

When her hands reluctantly moved as Shay lifted her arms so he could pull the shirt over her head, Clint leant down to nuzzle and nip at her neck, a low growl rumbling against her delicate skin as she gasped softly and ground her pelvis against his groin.

He'd learnt over the past week that he _definitely_ had no trouble getting hard where Shay was involved, in fact the simplest little movement such as the way she flicked her hair or even the shy smiles she threw his way would get him so riled up that he would wind up needing a cold shower or two before he could even face her again.

So it was no surprise that his cock twitched, hardening even more than he'd already been, when she ground against him. Once her shirt was over her head he flung it haphazardly across the room and settled his hands, one on her lower back, the other between her shoulder blades as his mouth sucked and nipped at the side of her neck.

Finally lifting his head from Shay's neck after several long minutes, Clint surveyed the sizeable hickey he'd left behind before his gaze wandered lower to settle on the simple black cotton bra shielding her breasts from his view.

Moving his hands Clint deftly unfastened the bra, watching silently as Shay lifted her hands to her shoulders to slide the straps down pulling the bra free to bare her breasts fully to his hungry gaze.

As Shay braced her hands behind her on the desk leaning back slightly, he caught sight of a scrawl of black starting on her ribs and disappearing beneath her left breast. Leaning in to get a better look Clint brought one hand round to lightly trace one calloused finger across his words where they resided on her.

Her words on him now made a lot of sense, he'd always been curious what on earth he'd said to his soulmate to land him with _No, you moron, you're not dead_. Not to mention the fact that Barney had never let him forget it.

Curling his right arm around Shay's waist Clint latched on to her left nipple, his tongue flicking teasingly over the nub as his free hand closed on her other breast, his thumb and index finger pinching lightly before alternating into a gentle kneading.

The soft moan that slipped free of Shay's delectable, slightly swollen lips combined with the sudden jerk of her hips drew a low guttural groan from his throat, which she more likely felt vibrating against her skin than heard.

He hadn't thought it possible to get harder than he already was while they were both still mostly clothed, yet that moan and the jerk of her hips had done exactly that, the confines of his jeans now a rather erotic combination of pleasure and pain.

A not so subtle shove against his ribs forced Clint to lift his head from her breast. His midnight blue eyes roamed up the delicate column of her throat, pausing momentarily at her mouth as that wicked tongue darted out to moisten her lips, until they met dark chocolate as Shay's silky voice murmured "My turn."

The tone of her voice combined with her sliding off the desk, along his sizable and rather painfully confined erection made his head spin. Closing his eyes Clint wondered, not for the first time, if he was actually going to survive this in one piece.

A sharp nip at his bicep, followed by soft hands roaming his chest was the only clue Clint had to the fact Shay had managed to slip out from between his body and the desk.

His eyes slowly drifted open as he turned around, her hands shifting to move with him as they continued mapping and tracing the varied scars he bore, though when Shay lowered her mouth to one on his collar bone, her tongue tracing along the puckered skin Clint could barely contain the groan and had to grab the edge of the desk behind him for support.

The pattern continued; wherever her fingers had traced her mouth and tongue soon followed, though when her lips lightly brushed over the first of his newly healed stab wounds he shuddered. He heard the hitch to her breath the same moment he felt her hands stall, and murmured, "It's ok, that's just _very _sensitive. In a good way."

Clint really was happy to let Shay explore his scars to her hearts content, he just _really_ couldn't keep watching that wicked little mouth. He was already too close to coming, so letting his head drop back slightly he focused his gaze on the ceiling and tried to hold himself together.

The last impression he wanted to give her was that of a horny teenager with no control, however when her short nails raked down over his denim clad thighs he resorted to mentally picturing himself in his shooting range with his bow.

Shay's silky voice calling his name snapped Clint's attention back to reality and he was suddenly aware that his feet were bare on the smooth wooden floor, the tentative brush of her fingers above the waistband of his jeans had his gaze dropping down to meet hers.

He suddenly became acutely aware of the silent question Shay was asking when her fingers came to rest on his belt buckle, tapping lightly as her eyes never left his. He let go of the desk with one hand to reach out, pushing a stray strand of hair from her eyes and tucking it behind her ear as he groaned "God, yes please?"

Unable to tear his eyes away Clint watched deft fingers hastily unfasten his belt and the button of his jeans, the slight relief of pressure on his achingly hard cock welcome. When Shay's hand stroked over his throbbing erection through the denim there was no way possible she could miss the groan that escaped as his hips reflexively jerked forward seeking a release for the building pressure.

As the constriction of the denim loosened when Shay finally eased the zipper down, Clint shifted restlessly his gaze suddenly focused on the top of her head, her gaze now focused on slowly, too slowly for his liking mind you, sliding the denim down his muscular legs.

Sucking in a sharp breath as Shay licked up the length of his erect cock, Clint's grip on the desk tightened, his knuckles turning white as she tentatively swiped her mischievous tongue along his tip.

As her warm, moist mouth closed around the head of his erection Clint was certain the only reason he was still standing was due to the death grip he had on the desk and his muscular arms supporting him, whether that was due to his legs going slightly weak or the fact his jeans were bunched at his knees he wasn't entirely certain.

Biting back a groan Clint forced his eyes shut and tried to remain stock still, he was fighting an overwhelming urge to thrust into the warm depths of Shay's mouth, a selfish asshole he might be at times but he'd let her decide exactly how much of him she wanted.

As the sensation of sliding deeper into her warm mouth was joined with the lightest scrape of teeth over the top of his shaft Clint groaned loudly, his head dropping forward as his eyes snapped open to watch the top of Shay's head sliding back and forth along his length.

She was experimenting, he knew that much, trying to figure out what he liked and didn't like, one minute her mouth would be loose, the next tight; or she'd hum which was usually followed by a flick of her tongue to the underside of his shaft, the one that really blew his mind though, and for the life of him he couldn't figure out why he'd never experienced it before, was when her tongue would curl around his shaft the top bumpy side as she went down and the slick underside as she came back up.

Clint knew he was seriously close to coming apart when that familiar tingle ran down the length of his spine and he felt his balls tighten, moving one hand from the edge of the desk he ran his calloused fingers through Shay's soft, silky hair, his voice little more than a husky groan as he spoke. "Shay, so…..close."

It was her last little trick of licking the underside of his engorged head that triggered his release, his only warning to her a guttural grunt, his hips jerking reflexively into her mouth as she sank back down on him. He felt her hands move to his hips, fingers stroking teasingly lightly as he shattered, hot spurts of his semen shooting into her mouth, his release intensified by the gentle movement of her tongue on the underside of his length as she worked to swallow.

None of his past girlfriends or, what had Maria called them to him once, _dalliances_ had ever swallowed his release so willingly, the one time Bobbi had been forced to, mostly because he hadn't had time to warn her, she'd literally kicked his ass for it breaking four of his ribs in the process.

Sitting his ass back heavily on the edge of the desk Clint reached down to grasp Shay's upper arms gently. As her moist mouth slipped off his now dwindling length with a wet pop he carefully pulled her to her feet, leaning in to desperately capture that talented mouth of hers in a gentle kiss.

As his tongue danced with hers, occasionally detouring to brush the roof of her mouth, Clint could taste his salty essence still lingering in her mouth. It was a rather heady sensation for him, especially when combined with the denim of her jeans brushing against his bare thighs as Shay shifted restlessly.

"Now," he growled softly against her ear after he was finally able to make himself stop kissing her, "now I'm gonna lay you down on this desk and return the favour."


	11. Mind Shattering

**Author's Note:** Ok so when I reread this I picked up a little bit of Dom/Sub at play ... how I missed that when writing it I have no clue. There is also spanking and I guess to a degree a little bit of Bondage if you squint really hard at Clint's Belt. You have been warned.

**Chapter Eleven:** Mind Shattering

When Clint's softly growled words finally registered through Shay's haze of arousal, a shiver ran the length of her spine as her gaze drifted from his face to the desk, his large hands firmly grabbing her ass, lifting her off the floor and onto his lap drew a startled yelp from her throat.

Fighting for purchase so she didn't slip Shay tightened her legs against his thighs, her hands sliding along Clint's spectacular arms to settle at his broad shoulders. The briefest brush of calloused fingers across her stomach caused another shiver to roll along her spine, she felt a slight tug at the waistband of her jeans followed by the soft rasp of the zip being drawn down hastily.

The next thing Shay knew she found herself lying on her back with Clint's weight pinning her to the desk, his hands gliding along her denim clad legs where they still gripped his thighs, the quiet thud she vaguely registered she soon realized were her sneakers being removed.

As Clint pushed his weight back off her, straightening to rake his eyes along her body, Shay shifted restlessly, bringing her legs up to brace her now bare feet on the desk edge she pressed her shoulders back into the desk arching her back to lift her ass.

She was busy trying to awkwardly push her jeans and panties down over her hips when Clint's fingers firmly gripped her wrists, halting her efforts. Shay barely bit back a groan of frustration as he moved her hands to place them palm down on the desk, she met his gaze just as he growled softly "Don't move them."

When Clint's fingers slipped beneath the waistbands of her jeans and panties Shay was forced to close her eyes in order to keep her hands exactly where he'd placed them. It was almost torturous how slowly he peeled both items of clothing past her hips, what small fraction of her rational brain was still functioning supposed she really had brought this on herself when she'd done similar to him in the first place.

Feeling his fingers brush past her thighs Shay let her ass drop back down onto the desk, when she finally felt Clint's fingers at her ankles she lifted her feet enough to let the denim and cotton be pulled off.

Eyes closed, she lay spread before him, nude and vulnerable, exposed to his hungry gaze. She couldn't quite bear to look at him, to see what she was sure must be disappointment in those changeable eyes of his. And then her own eyes flew open with startlement as he murmured;

"Most beautiful sight I ever saw."

He was gazing at her intently, his hands braced on either side of her body on the desk as he leaned over her. Once again she forgot all about his command to keep her hands still; reaching up she framed his face in her hands, pulling him down to kiss her. He came willingly enough, but after a moment lifted back up, his mouth curling in a wicked smirk.

"You're just no good at following orders, are you darlin'?"

Shay frowned in puzzlement. And then her eyes opened even wider as she felt him grasp both her wrists in one of his big hands.

The sensation of smooth leather being wrapped about her trapped wrists was unexpected to say the least and it took Shay a couple of moments, and the brush of cool metal against her skin, for her to realise that her makeshift restraints were in fact Clint's belt.

She couldn't figure out when exactly Clint had managed to not only pull up his jeans but remove his belt, it certainly had wrapped about her wrists rather quickly, which meant that he'd obviously had something in mind for it to begin with.

"Well I've never been good with authority figures, just ask Ty. He's about the only damn person I've ever listened to…..until a week ago." She sassed back, even as Clint's hands were guiding her arms up over her head, closing her fingers over the edge of the desk the guttural grunt that emanated from him she took as approval.

"Move 'em again darlin', without me telling you to, and I'm gonna put you over my knee and spank that gorgeous ass of yours till you can't sit down without thinking of me."

His husky tone of voice combined with the …..well she couldn't decide whether to class that as a threat, warning or promise really, caused a shiver of anticipation along her spine and a fluttering sensation in her stomach. She made a decision then and there that she was _definitely_ going to be moving her hands later on without permission, simply to see if he would make good on that promise.

The feeling of Clint's calloused fingers gliding down her sternum and over her skin was having a rather overwhelming effect on her senses, when he hit the occasional ticklish spot it drew out an embarrassing girlish giggle as she attempted, and usually failed, to escape his teasing fingers.

When Clint disappeared from her limited line of sight Shay frowned, a soft creak along with his hands sliding up the back of her calves told her he had sat himself down in the antique leather desk chair just in front of her feet.

Shay sucked in a sharp breath as her legs were suddenly lifted and settled with the backs of her knees resting on Clint's shoulders, his hot breath suddenly hitting the inside of her thigh mere moments before she felt the graze of teeth run up her thigh.

As Clint's muscular left arm draped across her pelvis with his hand settling to curl about her hip, before Shay even had a chance to try and guess what he had in mind his breath blew across her heated core and was promptly followed by his wickedly talented tongue licked a teasing stroke along the length of her heated core before flicking at her clit.

Coherent thought flew right out the window at that point in time, leaving Shay an incoherent, quivering mess. Her fingers tightened against the edge of the desk as she tried to shift her hips and chase relief from the pressure that was slowly building.

The only sound she could hear aside from her own keening and moans was the wet slurping noise Clint made as he greedily feasted on her, his low groan just barely audible yet vibrating through her body.

Managing to turn her feet in Shay planted the soles of both feet against Clint's bare back, lifting her head slightly she caught sight of his sandy brown hair, though when he moved to lap at her clit she found herself staring mesmerised into those gorgeous midnight blue eyes.

When Clint slid two fingers into her core as he sucked hard on her clit Shay moaned loudly before her head fell back onto the desk with a soft thump, his calloused fingers prodding as he drove them in further, crooking them slightly as he explored.

As his fingers brushed her g-spot Shay mumbled incoherently and dug her feet harder into his back as she garbled "unng."

The low rumble of Clint's laughter vibrating against her clit didn't do much to help Shay get some of her higher brain functions back, with her white knuckled grip on the desk and her feet pressed into his back she managed to buck her hips upwards slightly until his arm firmly pushed back down on her pelvis and his mouth lifted from its teasing and turned to place a sharp, bruising bite onto one of her inner thighs.

She was so close, she could feel it boiling just beneath the surface, it must have been apparent to Clint as well since the beautiful bastard kept pushing her close to precipice before backing off. With a quiet whimper Shay forced her eyes shut and let her feet go limp, a moment later she heard the chair go rolling across the floor and collide with the wall.

A roll of Clint's broad shoulders had her legs dropping to hang freely, Shay felt more than heard his movements as he leant over her, his legs trapping her right leg between them as his mouth brushed by her ear huskily murmuring.

"You gonna come for me darlin'?"

The only response Shay could give him was a strangled moan as she rolled her hips to grind down against his hand, his other hand having abandoned her hip in favour of cupping one of her breasts and kneading firmly, occasionally rolling her nipple between calloused fingers.

A gentle nip at her lower lip had Shay's eyelids fluttering open, her rich chocolate eyes locking with Clint's intense midnight blue ones as his tongue flicked lightly along her lips before he lowered his head to claim her lips in a feather light kiss.

Feeling her inner muscles clamp down on Clint's fingers Shay groaned into the kiss, her lips parting to admit his seeking tongue as her orgasm ripped through her body, shattering any coherent thought processes she'd managed to regain.

Releasing her grip on the desk Shay dropped her arms over Clint's head to rest on his shoulders as she shuddered uncontrollably beneath him, the slow slide of his fingers as he eased them out of her triggering aftershocks that rippled through her.

When Clint straightened without breaking the kiss, it was only her arms around his neck that brought her upright with him, when he pulled back from the kiss that wicked smirk had returned.

She felt the brush of his fingers at her wrists as Clint unfastened his belt, unwrapping the leather he then dropped it to the desk beside him, leaning in he whispered against her ear "You did it again, darlin'."

Before Shay realised what was happening she found herself draped across Clint's lap, her abs resting against his denim clad thighs, her head hanging towards the floor. Blindly reaching she managed to prop one hand on the desk and the other on his knee to push her head up to stop the blood from rushing to it.

The gentle caress of one big hand across the curve of her ass as Clint's other one settled in the middle of her back was her only warning, the first strike of his hand to her bare ass drew a yelp from her throat as she squirmed on his thighs.

As the second blow struck Shay sucked in a sharp breath, each following blow that landed began to transform from a sharp stinging pain to a slow erotic pleasure that started sending more little aftershocks rippling through her body until her hand clamped tightly against Clint's knee as she shattered again, his name a low moan that escaped her lips before she fell limply across his lap, barely able to keep her eyes open.

Clint sucked in a sharp breath as Shay writhed and moaned in his lap. He'd never expected her to climax again just from a spanking. _He'd_ been thoroughly enjoying himself painting her beautiful bottom scarlet with his hand, and it had been fairly obvious she hadn't exactly hated it, but… well, the fact that she liked it _that_ much… right, he needed to take her to bed.

Now.


	12. Definitions

**Author's Note: **Probably should have said this earlier but usual disclaimers apply. I don't own the Avengers I'm just playing in their world and the only people I do own are Shay, Tyler and Tyler's family.

Also we have another unexpected cameo at the end of this chapter.

**Chapter Twelve:** Definitions

Rolling Shay over Clint easily lifted her into his arms, cradling her so that her head rested on his shoulder he eased himself off the desk and started from the room, his bare feet making quick work of the stairs that led to the second floor.

Long strides carried him the length of the hallway, past the room Shay normally inhabited, to the master bedroom at the far end of the hall, pushing the door open with his foot Clint eased through the doorway, careful not to whack Shay into the doorjamb.

Dropping Shay the short distance onto the bed he rounded the bed towards the nightstand, a smirk curving his lips at the low whimper from Shay as her tender ass landed on the bed.

Pulling the drawer open Clint fished blindly in the drawer for a minute or two, before his fingers closed on the box he was seeking, dropping the box of condoms on top of the nightstand he then reached back in to pull out the bottle of lube before he nudged the drawer shut with his knee.

When Shay's soft warm hands skimmed around the waistband of his jeans to settle on his stomach Clint sucked in a sharp breath, which rushed out in a groan as her lips brushed, teeth teasing the puckered skin of one of the scars on his shoulder.

Reaching back Clint let his hands rest on her sides as his eyes shut, he was focusing solely on the sensations her mouth and hands had rippling along his nerves, her tongue dragging along the back of his shoulder and up his neck sent fireworks sparking along his nerves.

"This must be why people always rave about how soulmate sex is so very different to the other kind," he muttered.

Shay's soft laugh made him blink his eyes open. "We haven't actually had sex yet," she pointed out.

"That depends on your definition."

"Both of us naked at the same time with your cock inside me sounds like a definition I'd like," she said, and he sucked in a sharp breath at her boldness.

He'd been half hard when he'd carried her upstairs, but the bold comment and even bolder hands that had delved into his unfastened jeans to teasingly stroke his cock had him hardening further as he growled "Minx."

"Lose the pants," she whispered moments before her lips brushed the tender skin behind his ear. His hands were already moving to the waistband of his jeans and easing them off his hips, though when her hands stopped their teasing strokes to rapidly tug the denim down his thighs he sat back heavily on the edge of the bed to pull the denim off over his feet.

Dumping the jeans on the floor Clint turned in time to see Shay reaching for the box on the nightstand, reaching out easily he closed one hand gently about her wrist as he leant in to nip at her shoulder before he spoke "Not this time darlin', if I let you do that it's gonna be over before we begin."

Releasing her wrist he reached for the box retrieving the foil packaging, as he opened it pulling the condom free he heard the whoosh of air and soft sigh as Shay flopped back on the bed.

After rolling the condom on and ensuring there were no air bubbles he turned back to where Shay was lying on the bed and stopped short, a low groan slipping free of his throat as his eyes roamed over Shay where she lay sprawled, her hair spread across his pillow like a dark waterfall as one of her slim hands kneaded her breast, the other deftly stroking through her own folds.

Crawling onto the bed Clint moved to kneel beside Shay's spread legs, his hands dropping to lightly stroke along the inside of her thighs as his voice rumbled "God, that's so hot."

When her hands fell away from herself and reached for him Clint grasped the hand that had been between her legs guiding her fingers to his mouth, sucking them greedily as she whimpered, letting her fingers slip from his lips he leant down to brush a feather light kiss across her lips as he murmured "Roll over darlin', I want you on your hands and knees."

As Shay willingly obliged Clint moved between her legs, leaning forward he placed a light kiss at the base of her spine before slowly working his way upwards towards her neck alternating between kisses and languid licks.

Curling one hand around his throbbing cock Clint brushed the rubber coated blunt head of his length against Shay's heated core, his mouth brushing against the tender skin of the back of her neck, turning his head slightly he delivered a solid bite to her shoulder as his hips thrust forward sharply to sink easily into her tight slick core.

It didn't take them long to establish a rhythm, as he thrust forward Shay would press back into him, curling one arm around her waist he dropped his hand in order to tease her clit with calloused fingers, his other hand moving to rest atop hers and entwine their fingers as his mouth busied itself with sucking a solid bruise into her shoulder.

The sharp intake of breath from Shay and the sudden clench of her inner muscles around his aching cock, made him groan against her shoulder, when she turned her head and slid her arms forward including his entangled hand to drop her shoulders to the mattress Clint growled at the sudden change in angle of his thrusts.

Resting his chin against her shoulder Clint turned his head to press kisses along the delicate column of her throat as his thrusts picked up speed, her low keen of pleasure making him pinch her clit firmly.

Clint knew he was close as he felt his balls tighten and he could only guess that Shay was close too with how her muscles were fluttering around him, several hard long thrusts combined with a few well timed pinches and flicks against her clit had her pushing back hard against him with an unabashed moan as her muscles clamped down tight on his cock.

The sensation of her tight muscles gripping him firmly drew a guttural grunt from his throat, as he thrust sharply one more time burying deep, he shattered, his orgasm ripping through his body as her muscles milked him of every last drop of come.

Slumping onto her back he moved his hand from her clit to the mattress to support his weight as her fingers tightened against his on their entwined hands. Clint really couldn't move just yet, her muscles still contracting and releasing about him as her orgasm still rippled through her body.

As her inner muscles relaxed Clint pushed himself up from her back, placing a kiss at her shoulder he reached back to grasp the condom as he eased himself from Shay's hot, welcoming core, sliding off the bed he made his way out of the room to the bathroom to dispose of the used condom.

When he stepped back into the room it was to the sight of Shay settled in his bed beneath the bedcovers with one side thrown back waiting for him, crossing the short distance in several long strides Clint slipped into the bed tugging the covers over him.

Settling on his back he reached up to turn off the light, he felt the mattress shift as Shay snuggled in closer, he adjusted his arm to curl around her as her breath brushed his ear as she mumbled "Definitely worth the spanking."

He couldn't stop the low chuckle as he turned his head slightly to brush his lips against her hair before he teased "I think I found your kink, darlin' girl."

"You found one of them, stud, I'll admit that." She sassed.

Stroking his fingers through the length of her hair gently Clint brushed his lips against Shay's forehead murmuring quietly "I'll never let anyone hurt you again, I promise."

His eyes slowly fluttered closed to Shay's gentle humming as the fingers of one hand stroked lazily along his chest.

When he finally awoke it was to an empty bed with the early light of dawn streaming in through the window, as he threw the bedding back and stretched he could see the dressing on his shoulder had at some point during his sleep been changed.

As he slipped from the bed and made his way for the bathroom he was surprised by how refreshed he felt, it was probably the first decent night's sleep he'd had in a long time. Reaching past the shower curtain he turned the water on, once the temperature was right he stepped beneath the water and set about washing the dried sweat from his body.

"Clint?" Shay's voice drifting up the stairs held a wary tone that drew him sharply out of the auto pilot he'd been in, stepping from the shower he grabbed a towel and secured it around his waist before pulling open the cupboard above the basin and retrieving one of the pistols he'd stashed there.

Making his way silently down the stairs, flicking the pistol's safety off as he went, he listened, trying to pinpoint where Shay was in the house. His hearing caught the faintest rustle of a wrapper of some kind in the kitchen.

Manoeuvring into the kitchen with the pistol aimed, Clint's flat steely eyes darted from Shay on the door side of the counter to the five foot four Asian woman dressed in black by the back door. Dropping the gun to point at the floor he muttered "For fuck's sake Cavalry! Couldn't you at least call first?"


	13. A More Welcome Visitor

**Chapter Thirteen:** A More Welcome Visitor

Clint couldn't stop the smug grin that curved his lips as he watched May stiffen and then straighten her shoulders, her mouth a tight line as she quirked one brow upwards, her chocolate eyes drifting between him and Shay before she said exasperatedly "_Don't_ call me that, Barton."

"Really? You're going to tease the BAMF woman while you're wearing a towel?" Shay's stunned voice had him turning his head to look at her. His grin widened as he closed the distance between them, setting the pistol on the counter he draped one damp arm around her shoulders.

"Eh, it's May. We trained and worked together for a time, it's nothing she hasn't seen before." The first inkling he had that he'd said the wrong thing was Shay shoving his arm roughly from her shoulders and back stepping away from him, with a frown he studied her face, her lips held a sudden tightness to them as her eyes flickered.

"Oh" Shay's tone of voice was tense and Clint noticed her gaze was now locked on May, it struck him then that she was jealous, deep down he was pleased that she obviously felt deeply enough for him to be jealous but at the same time it concerned him that she pulled away.

"I….We never…" Clint sighed scrubbing a hand over his face before glancing briefly to May who had a slight smirk gracing that stern face of hers, turning his gaze back to Shay and finding his voice again he continued "It wasn't like that, we were partners for a time and she had to tend to my injuries on occasion."

As Shay dropped her gaze from his, Clint turned his attention back to May his hands dropping to the counter as he spoke "So, what brings the Cavalry to my home?"

"The new Director of SHIELD sent me to get you for a sit down. They want to find out if you and Romanoff are still willing to work for us after everything that's happened."

Clint saw that May was still unimpressed by his use of the infamous nickname, but other than the slight grimace she said no more, instead she shifted her positioning to prop herself against the doorjamb with her arms crossed over her chest.

Watching May's eyes move Clint got the impression Shay was moving to leave the kitchen, as much as her sudden uncertainty in him hurt, he wasn't entirely sure at the moment what he could do to change her mind.

"Funny, Hill was here yesterday and told me we were privatising World Security, she never said anything about SHIELD rebuilding." Soft thudding on the stairs let Clint know Shay was headed back upstairs, though his gaze remained on May who had twitched slightly at his mention of Maria.

"Well, I should have expected that, given that she's the one who told me where to find you, though one of my team is still looking for Romanoff." Clint couldn't help but chuckle at that, if Natasha was off the grid no one was going to find her if she didn't want to be found.

"So who's the girl, Barton?" In all honesty Clint really should have expected that question from May, but his thoughts had been distracted; looking to the ceiling briefly he tried to think of the best answer.

He knew SHIELD had strict policies on notifying superior officers upon finding your soulmate, but with SHIELD essentially having been torn down and obviously in the process of being rebuilt was he even still a part of it anymore?

"She's with me, and before you ask she's staying with me. Her life depends on it." Dropping his gaze from the ceiling Clint blinked when he found May now leaning on the counter directly in front of him, it was always disconcerting the way she and Natasha could manage to move without him hearing them.

"So, this new Director, are they asking or demanding my presence?" Drumming his fingers idly on the counter Clint watched May carefully, the slight twitch to her lips was all the answer he really needed.

"I'd suggest you come and see for yourself Barton, it might be….enlightening?" May had never been one to speak in riddles and Clint found his curiosity piqued as to who Fury had chosen as his successor.

"Is there a time factor?" He had the feeling that there were any number of things May wasn't telling him.

"We could use your help at any time, a fact of which you're well aware. But – yes, possibly. We've got some fairly immediate, serious problems. I'm not at liberty to reveal all the details to you. You'd need to come and meet the Director."

He leaned on the counter, staring at May. She met his gaze unflinchingly, and he thought of how much he once trusted this woman. How much he owed her. He'd been utterly shocked when he'd heard she'd gone back into the field, he'd thought after Bahrain that she never would.

"I owe you a debt I can't repay, you know that," he said quietly. "I'd have bled out from the torture if you hadn't stormed the place."

"We don't talk about Bahrain, Hawkeye," May said just as quietly, but her eyes never wavered. "You owe me nothing. And you know I'd never use that to force you to come with me, especially not with a civilian you have to protect." Her eyes slid to the side then, and Clint turned his head to see Shay standing in the doorway, her eyes glassy with tears.

_Oh, shit. How much did she hear?_

Clint stood frozen as that one thought rattled through his head, though when Shay wrapped her arms around her midsection and hung her head in order to conceal her face with her hair he was again struck by just how fragile she looked, the wavering of her voice when she spoke not helping the image any. "How many times have you almost died?"

"I'll give you two some privacy. When you've made your decision, Barton, come find me down at the front paddock."

May's words and the squeak of the flyscreen door as it opened and closed registered in Clint's peripheral thoughts, crossing the kitchen to where Shay stood in the doorway he scratched nervously at his neck before murmuring "Too many, I try not to keep track anymore."

The slight shudder to her shoulders told Clint she was either silently crying or trying to hold back the unshed tears he'd seen in her beautiful eyes, before she'd retreated behind her thick dark hair, it broke his heart to see, reaching out he enveloped her in his strong arms tugging her gently into his chest.

Tilting his head to brush his lips over her hair Clint murmured softly "Until a week ago I never had a reason to care if I lived or died on the job Shay, this…._you_ changed that. After the shit with Bobbi, I never thought I'd find you, let alone have another chance at happiness. And while it's true that I don't trust easily, I think I entrusted my heart to you that night in the hospital."

Leaning back slightly as he moved one hand to hook his fingers beneath her chin and tilt her head up, Clint looked down into those glassy chocolate eyes with a sad smile as he continued "I'll never hurt you, never cheat on you, but if you don't think you can handle my job….my life, then I'll set you up somewhere safe and you'll never see me again. Granted it'll probably break my heart to do it but I want the best for you darlin', even if that means me not being in your life."

He felt her arms uncurl from her midsection as he watched her worry her bottom lip with her teeth, when both of her hands reached up to cup his cheeks he blinked, not entirely sure what decisions she was warring with behind those dark eyes.

"I swear to god, if you walk out on me I will hunt you down, beat the shit out of you, patch you up and start over again." Her threat was a breathy growl that he didn't even have a chance to respond to before she rose on her toes to close a fraction of their height difference to crash her mouth onto his in a bruising kiss.

When she pulled back to allow them both a chance to breathe, his brow furrowing, when he opened his mouth to speak her hand slid from his cheek to cover it so she could speak again. "I can't promise that I won't get jealous, you seem to work with a few fucking gorgeous women that I can't even hold a candle to, but I want this to work. I'm tired of living a half life."

As her hand fell away from his mouth Clint's mouth curved into a cheeky grin as his calloused thumb brushed across her lips, when he spoke his tone was a teasing murmur "If it helps, I'll teach you how to beat the shit out of me?"

"I do have some ability in hitting things, and some other very old very rusty skills that could probably use some refreshing. I don't like feeling like a burden that you _have_ to protect."

"Not _have_ to darlin', _want_ to, entirely different thing. Which reminds me, is all your stuff still packed?" As her eyebrow quirked curiously he turned them and reluctantly stepped back from the comforting embrace of her body into the hall, before making his way up the stairs.

"Why?" Her voice drifted up the stairs behind him, causing him to turn and look to where she was standing at the bottom.

"We're taking another trip. I've been summoned to meet the new boss."


	14. Mistakes

**Author's Note: **Usual disclaimers apply I own no one by Shay and the other OC's. No apologies for Shay's serious foul language aimed at Phil. Also we learn a little more about Shay's past and learn how it in part connected to Clint's past at the Academy.

**Chapter Fourteen:** Mistakes

In all her life Shay had never been more thankful for a soft comfy couch, the seats on that damnable jump jet May had brought them in had been hard, Clint had definitely followed through on his threat of her not being able to sit down without thinking of him, the smug smirk he'd worn all through the flight as she'd shifted restlessly trying to get comfortable told her he knew it too.

With a content sigh she wriggled into the plump cushion as Clint settled beside her with their thighs touching, settling her head to his shoulder she entwined their fingers as they waited for this mysterious Director to show up.

When she heard the quiet creak of the door as it started to open, Shay had to blink as she watched Clint's entire demeanour and body language change, the smug grin and relaxed set of his eyes turned to a steely deadpan expression, his hand slid free of hers as he slid across the couch separating them by a good foot.

Shay had had to brace her hand quickly into the cushion to prevent her from toppling sideways at the sudden loss of his muscular body beside her, straightening up she folded her hands primly in her lap.

The man now seated beside her seemed almost an entirely different person to the one she'd been living with this past week, though when she thought back on it she'd seen glimpses of this steely, closed off man on occasion but nothing quite as severe as what she now saw.

Her chocolate gaze focused on the door at almost the exact same time Clint's steely one did as a man, in his late forties maybe, standing a little shorter than Clint at possibly five foot nine with brown hair and piercing blue eyes, stepped across the threshold.

From her peripheral vision Shay saw Clint tense, his hands clenching into fists upon his knees, his entire body screaming out silently in seething rage, his muscular body rose from the couch before adopting a menacing stance with his arms tightly crossed over his chest as he snapped in a vicious growl "What the fuck, Coulson. Fury told us you were dead, we all fucking _mourned_ for you!"

The raw emotion in Clint's voice was evident to Shay, he was angry yes but at the same time he was hurting and it broke her heart to see, as her gaze darted between the two men she found herself quietly wondering what they were to each other.

What had this strange man once been to Clint, she got the distinct impression they'd definitely once been friends, yet she got the feeling there was more as well, had they been family or, fuck even _lovers_? Was she encroaching on someone else's territory here? Because this was way more than just shock at seeing an unexpectedly alive friend.

Shrinking slightly back into the couch Shay tried to make herself unnoticeable, though when the older man calling Clint by name was met with a menacing growl she blinked as piercing blue eyes fell upon her before turning back to Clint as the other man changed tactics and instead stated flatly "Barton, I was clinically dead. Though for how long I was dead seems to be a matter of debate. Further details are classified."

"Why the fuck would Fury keep that from us? Why would he not tell Nat and I, or hell even the rest of the Avengers, that the man _responsible for bringing us together_ was still alive?"

There was a slight waver to Clint's voice that Shay couldn't pinpoint and it wasn't until he turned his back on the other man and looked at her that she worked out what it was; he was _crying_, this whole situation was hurting him deeply and by the expression on his face he felt ashamed of the fact that he was letting his hurt show so freely.

Pushing herself rather awkwardly up out of the spongy couch cushion Shay crossed to Clint, reached up to drape her arms across his shoulder and gently tugged him into a hug till his head lowered to rest on her shoulder, his face pressed into her neck as those muscular arms encircled her waist.

From the corner of her eye Shay spotted that the older man; Coulson, that was what Clint had called him, had moved and was curiously watching them with one brow quirked upwards in bewilderment as she started to stroke one hand soothingly through Clint's short sandy hair.

She got the impression that Clint had deeply trusted and cared for this man and his apparent death had obviously affected not only him greatly, and now suddenly he was just up and walking around again without letting anyone who had cared for him know?

Levelling an icy glare at Coulson, Shay snarled vehemently "Look, I don't know half of what the fuck is going on here, but I really think you need to get the fuck off your classified high horse, put on your big boy pants and take some fucking responsibility for the fucking fact you at least had _some_ part in not notifying people who obviously cared for you that you were actually alive and fucking well."

Clint's low snort of laughter at her outburst brushed against the delicate skin of her throat, making her shiver slightly, in the next instant Shay felt his arms tighten around her waist and draw her discreetly closer into him as he shifted imperceptibly to keep his body between hers and Coulson's.

"Seriously, what the fuck is it with men being emotional fucking cripples?" Shay groused and was almost certain she heard a laugh other than Clint's come from outside the slightly cracked open door of the office, as an after thought she tacked on "I'm Shay, by the way since introductions apparently aren't something you Secret Agent Dudes are good at."

"Phil Coulson, Director of SHIELD and apparently an emotional cripple." Shay blinked, looking at Coulson from around one of Clint's biceps, she couldn't tell whether or not there was a slight upwards tilt to his mouth as his eyes drifted over them critically which lead her to assume he was assessing her with Clint, this assumption was assumed confirmed as Coulson queried "You're his soulmate, I take it?"

Shay felt the tension return to Clint's body as his head lifted from her neck and turned towards Coulson with a low growl of "She is, not that it's any concern of yours currently, since I don't work for you."

Coulson gave him a bland look. "Technically, Barton, you're still on SHIELD's payroll. You might not have been accessing the money, but it is still being deposited in your bank account."

When Clint turned his head back to look at her, Shay could see the indecision warring in his eyes as they began to seemingly flicker between colors, one minute they'd been a cold steel grey, the next a chilly icy blue before darkening and settling on almost pitch black.

Blinking as Clint suddenly stepped from her and turned towards Coulson with his arms casually crossed silently staring the other man down, Shay could tell Clint was righteously pissed off, the aggression thrumming through him as the muscles in his shoulders twitched almost indiscernibly before he eventually snarled "You know what Coulson, you can shove your salary where the sun don't shine."

Shay had to bite down on her lip in an effort not to chuckle as Coulson's lips pursed and one of his eyebrows twitched as Clint turned on one booted foot to storm from the office, before she could even move to follow May had stepped into the office shutting the door behind her.

"Soulmates, can't live with them, can't kill them." Shay had to blink at that comment as her gaze drifted to May who was looking at her with a slight smirk, she definitely got the impression that comment came from a lot of experience.

It was hard not to miss the warning glare Coulson was giving to May so Shay started to make her way towards the door figuring that she should probably go find Clint, reaching for the door handle she stopped suddenly as it occurred to her that she had no idea where Clint would go.

Before she could even turn to ask the question Shay was met with the answer as May's voice carried quietly through the now silent office "He'll either be in the gym or the shooting range."

May had thankfully given her the directions to get to both locations from Coulson's office, as she was pulling the office door shut she heard May say "I _told_ you to call them, but would you listen?"

Taking into account the barely contained anger she'd seen boiling beneath the surface in Clint Shay decided to check the shooting range first, mentally recounting May's directions she made her way through the confusing hallways wondering on more than one occasion how Clint had even known what direction to go in.

Clint had contemplated going to the shooting range to release some of his pent up anger, but then thought better of it. Putting a weapon in his hands right now was probably the worst idea imaginable, so he'd instead opted to go to the gym.

He'd shed his well loved leather jacket and t-shirt on one of the benches, wrapped his hands and had immediately moved to the punching bag and began throwing wild punch after punch to expend the anger roiling within him.

Coulson had been the closest thing he'd had to a father and Clint just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he had kept the fact he was alive a secret, from not only him but Nat and the rest of the team as well.

Though he was silently proud that Shay had chewed Coulson out over that decision, her foul mouth earning her bonus points, he was pretty sure that entire conversation was a record for the amount of times he heard her say some variation of the word _fuck_.

As immersed as he'd been in his own thoughts and taking out his frustrations on the bag he hadn't heard the gym doors opening, so when a hand touched his shoulder he reacted on pure instinct pivoting on one foot and lashing out with one wrapped fist.

Shay didn't think as Clint's fist came swinging toward her, she simply reacted, bringing one hand up and out to curl around his wrist as she stepped into his body using the momentum of his punch as she leant forward to flip him onto his back on the mat.

Before he could move Shay dropped to straddle his chest, pinning his arms to his sides with her legs, as she sat back against his abs she arched one brow quizzically as she quipped "Pretty sure I'm not the one who royally pissed you off, so it'd be appreciated if you didn't try to take my head off."

Clint blinked dazedly up at Shay as she leant back to brace her hands on his thighs.

"Where the hell did you learn to do _that_?"

She froze for a moment before breaking out in a wry smile. "Let's just say I ran with a rough crowd for a little while after running away from home."

He eyed her thoughtfully. And then he planted his feet hard on the floor and jack-knifed upwards, arms swinging up as he freed himself, fully intending to put her on her back on the mat with him on top this time.

She writhed away like a slippery eel, caught a heel behind his ankle, grabbed onto his left wrist with both hands and twisted again. If it hadn't been a classic SHIELD manoeuvre, she'd have flipped him like a ragdoll for a second time, but he was half-expecting it and countered.

Shay was absolutely shocked to find herself on her back. She wasn't even quite sure how it had happened. That move _always_ worked, even on classically trained martial artists.

"Tell me again, darlin'," Clint murmured in her ear, "who exactly taught you that?"

"I fell in love with a slightly older bad boy when I was sixteen, well _boy_ probably isn't the best descriptor given that he was in his mid twenties. I thought he was in the military, he'd be gone more than he was around, but when he was around he taught me what he knew."

Shifting slightly beneath Clint, Shay was assessing how he had his weight distributed looking for any advantage as her mind clicked trying to figure out how to regain the upper hand.

"That's still not giving me a name darlin'," Clint murmured against her ear as his grip tightened slightly on her wrists "only tells me your taste was terrible."

"Brock Rumlow," Shay finally muttered as she dropped her head back onto the mat in defeat.

His eyes widened with shock before he spat out; "Well that's just fucking marvellous." Clint pushed himself up off Shay and regained his feet, running one hand through his hair in frustration as he began to pace the gym. "The biggest pain in my fucking ass from my academy days and I just find out that at the same time he was making my life a fucking misery, he was also spending time with my girl!"

Planting her hands to the mat above her head Shay flipped herself to her feet, the frustration she could see in Clint's motions combined with the tone his voice had held made her flinch, Brock had been her darkest secret and biggest mistake and it appeared as though he was going to once again utterly ruin her life.

Closing the distance between them Shay reached out to curl her hand around his bicep and pulled Clint to a stop her free hand coming up to cup his cheek while murmuring "Clint, I was young, scared and stupid. He was the biggest mistake of my life and I wish to god I'd met you first."

When her only response was silence Shay dropped both her hands from where they'd rested on Clint, curling both arms around her stomach she let her head drop as she turned and made her way towards the bench where his shed clothing sat.

"Why?" She hadn't heard Clint move so when his voice rumbled by her ear it had startled her, causing her to jump slightly before his hands firmly grasped her upper arms as he growled "Why do you wish you'd met me first?"

It was probably a stupid question on his part but he needed to know, as much as he didn't want to hear what had occurred between the two of them, he needed to hear it. Needed her to explain why she considered Rumlow a mistake.


	15. You're Mine!

**Author's Note: **Advanced warning this chapter contains possessive smut later on in the chapter.

**Chapter Fifteen: **You're Mine!

"With you I'd have had a chance of a normal, happy life. I ran from an abusive father Clint, right into a self destructive relationship centered on fighting, anger, rage and sex, it wasn't exactly a healthy step to make."

The self deprecation in her tone of voice made Clint wince, recalling what she'd told him of the night she'd ran it occurred to him she'd probably not been in a good head space the first time she'd met Rumlow and knowing what he knew of the bastard he'd likely have used that to his advantage.

"That's not a full answer darlin', try again." He'd never thought himself the jealous type, but Clint knew that was precisely what he feeling right now, he was jealous that his biggest rival and pain in the ass had not only looked at _his_ soulmate, but had touched her, been inside her and some deep dark part of him wanted the bastard's head for that.

Pulling away from him Shay stalked to the wall, bracing her hands and resting her forehead against it; she needed to think, needed to figure out what answer Clint was looking for. For the life of her she didn't know what answer he was after and she doubted blindly guessing would provide the right one.

It was bad enough that she'd had to reveal that particular secret to Clint, it was worse knowing that he _knew_ Rumlow, had apparently trained with and been tormented by him. She'd spent the better part of the last eight years continually looking over her shoulder while rebuilding her life and knowing there was a high probability that she could run into the very person she'd spent so long running from.

Balling one hand into a fist Shay thumped it into the wall, forcing her eyes shut in frustration she hit the wall slightly harder, the pain that bloomed in her knuckles a welcome distraction. "I don't know what you want me to say, Clint. I knew he wasn't right, he didn't feel right, not like you do. You make me feel whole, _safe_."

She went to punch the wall again in frustration at Clint's silence, though when her hand never connected with the wall due to a firm grip at her wrist she shivered as his free hand slid beneath her t-shirt to brush feather light strokes along her stomach just above the waistband of her yoga pants as he growled huskily "You're _mine_, not his!"

The possessiveness in Clint's tone startled her, more so than his hand slipping beneath the waistband of her pants and his sharp exhale of breath behind her ear upon his discovery of the fact she wasn't wearing anything beneath the thin fabric of the yoga pants. Calloused fingers brushing against the inside of her thigh before slipping higher caused her to suck in a sharp breath. As deft fingers stroked through her folds and he nipped at the back of her neck Shay whimpered "Clint, this isn't exactly the best…."

Shay's words stalled and were followed suddenly by an adorable mewl as he slid two fingers into her, crooking them slightly, as he stroked and teased her alternating between sliding his fingers deeper and pulling them out to tease her clit Clint brushed his mouth against her ear murmuring "I don't care. You're mine and I'm damn well going to take you here to remind you of that."

"But someone could come in!" she squeaked, still unable to help herself from shifting her hips, pushing harder against his hand in a wordless plea.

"Then everyone else will know you're mine too." Clint rubbed faster over Shay's clit, hearing her breathing accelerate, unbearably turned on by the thought of them possibly being caught. He used his free hand to push her yoga pants down to her knees, leaning back to stare raptly at her bottom, her hips rolling as she pushed herself against his hand.

Stilling his hand briefly Clint stepped forward till Shay's bare backside was pressed against the impressive bulge forming within his cargo pants, slipping his fingers out of her heated sheath he ignored the whimper of protest along with the way she ground her ass into his growing erection, moving his hands to run along her arms he guided her hands to brace against the wall.

Gliding his hands back down her body as he dropped to a crouch he made short work of divesting Shay of her sneakers and yoga pants, rising back to his full height Clint turned her suddenly so her back was flat against the wall while guiding her arms to rest on his shoulders, leaning in he captured her lower lip between his teeth nipping sharply before switching to a hard bruising kiss.

Clint felt her unsteady hands roaming his chest, gradually slipping lower to brace against his abs before dropping to the waistband of his cargo pants and fumbling to get them unfastened, once done Shay's hands slipped around his sides to slide beneath the loosened waistband to rest on the top of his ass and pull him firmer against her.

Releasing her mouth suddenly he growled "Minx" before his hand fumbled in the pocket of his pants for the small foil package he'd tucked away there before leaving the farm house, like a boy scout he was always prepared, ripping the packet open as Shay's hands somehow managed to work his pants over his hips, how in the hell she managed that with their lower bodies practically fused together was beyond him currently.

One minute she'd been watching Clint unwrap the condom while she worked his cargo pants down below his delicious muscular ass and the next Shay found herself lifted off the floor with her legs draped across his arms, his large hands settled on her hips lowering her tauntingly slowly down onto his straining cock.

Thudding her head back against the wall as a low groan escaped her throat, Shay had to force her eyes shut at the exquisitely slow torture Clint was currently putting her through, the barest brush of his nose as he nuzzled at the spot where her neck became her shoulder made her emit a quiet mewl as she slung her arms over his shoulders, one hand coming to rest at the nape of his neck with her fingers just skimming his hair as the other raked her short nails sharply down his spine as his teeth latched onto the delicate skin he'd been nuzzling.

Barely managing to bite back a yelp at the sudden pain blooming at her shoulder, Shay soon found that joined by a flare of pain at both her hips as Clint's grip tightened. As he shifted the angle of her hips to thrust in hard, she was forced to drop her head down to his shoulder turning her face into his neck to muffle the brazen moan that slipped free as the line between pain and pleasure blurred into non existence.

Shay knew, without needing to see or think, that by the time Clint was done there would be bruises marring her delicate skin, it was apparent to her that he was branding her, leaving his marks behind, the shape of his fingers were definitely going to be on her hips, his bite mark left in the curve of her neck and shoulder and probably wherever else he decided to let his devious mouth wander.

Quite frankly she couldn't bring herself to care about the fact he was essentially branding her as _his_ territory, because she knew deep down on some primal level that she _was_ his. She suspected but was in no state to actually confirm, given the current circumstances of being pinned against the wall with his hips slamming into her, that this was all caused by primal instinct and possessiveness that likely flared upon him learning someone else had previously encroached upon his territory.

As he adjusted her position slightly by letting her back slide down the wall a fraction, it changed the angle of her hips again and this time as Clint pounded back into her she couldn't contain the scream that slipped free. Later, she'd probably be thankful for Clint's mouth moving hastily from her neck to capture hers.

Digging her nails into his shoulder as her other hand cupped the back of his head she took the opportunity to thoroughly kiss him, her tongue darting into his mouth and retreating before his own could join the party. Her current positioning combined with the angle Clint held her hips at meant that every thrust of his thick, hard cock was brushing against her g-spot and had tension coiling low in her belly.

Pulling back from the kiss Shay tilted her head back to rest against the wall as she let her hand fall away from the back of his head, her fingers brushing along his neck and down his chest before settling to stroke and tease her clit while gasping "Clint."

The breathy gasp of his name told Clint how close Shay was, he could feel her fingers working at her clit as her knuckles bushed his abs with each forward thrust he made, could feel her core muscles tightening around his aching cock, dropping his mouth to the hollow of her throat he kissed, licked and nipped his way up and down the column of her throat as his hips pounded even faster into her tight, moist core.

Deep in his lust hazed brain Clint knew Shay wasn't going to come quietly, not this time, if the scream he'd barely managed to contain with his mouth not long ago was anything to go by, the sheer fact she'd thrown caution to the wind at his ministrations and was letting him fuck her into the wall of a near public place was evidence, to him at least, of a secret primal urge on her part of wanting to be dominated by him, claimed so thoroughly that there would be, no _could_ be no doubt who she belonged to.

Her breathing quickened and stuttered as her nails bit deep into his shoulder, Shay's loud moan echoed briefly through the gym before she dropped her head to his other shoulder and bit down sharply against his skin to muffle her moan, with a guttural grunt as her inner muscles clamped down on his cock Clint increased the pace and strength of his thrusts, as his balls pulled tight he dropped his head to bury his face in her hair. After several more powerful thrusts he came hard, her inner muscles milking his engorged cock.

Easily holding Shay's deadweight as she still shuddered with tiny aftershocks from her orgasm Clint nuzzled into her hair, breathing deeply. He completely missed the quiet creak of the door to the gym opening and closing until a voice echoed throughout the room and drowned out their heavy breathing.

"Barton, you owe me a fucking bottle of eye bleach, I really didn't need to see your bare ass again!" The last thing May had been expecting when she walked into the gym looking for the pair was Barton with his bare ass hanging out in the breeze with his soulmate's legs draped over his arms to support her weight.

She wasn't stupid and could clearly tell what they'd been doing. Given the sound of their heavy breathing she had thankfully come in after they'd finished and not during, she had no doubt that had she been responsible for _coitus interruptus_ that Clint would already be kicking her ass.

"If you've _quite_ finished with your angry rage sex, Coulson would like to brief you on what we know happened at the Triskelion and what has occurred since with HYDRA." Pushing through the door she made her way back to Coulson's office, trying to burn the mental image of Barton's bare ass out of her head. _Not that it wasn't one hell of an ass…_

As Clint settled her on her feet with her back still against the wall, Shay moved a little unsteadily to retrieve her yoga pants and pull them back on as he removed the condom, something May said then came back to her. "What did she mean when she said she didn't need to see your bare ass _again_?"

"A while back, when I worked with May, I wound up with a piece of shrapnel in my ass that I couldn't get out myself…..so she had to remove it and patch me up." Clint's tone sounded sheepish and Shay simply arched one brow questioningly. He took her hand and turned slightly to guide her hand to the scar on one of his ass cheeks, so she tilted her head to see past her fingers as they traced the scar.

"Poor baby," she cooed teasingly as her hand moved to swat his bare ass lightly, as she stepped around him to go get her sneakers she found herself tugged back against his chest. Reaching one arm back and around his neck Shay turned her head slightly while rising on her toes to brush a kiss to Clint's cheek.

"Come on, Coulson is waiting and I'd prefer it if we didn't keep him waiting long enough for May to tell him what we just got up to in his gym." Slipping free of Clint's hold Shay slipped her feet back into her sneakers, though she suspected it'd probably be blatantly obvious to Coulson what they'd been up to, especially with Clint leaving the not so subtle brand at the curve of her neck and shoulder.

After tossing the used condom into a trashcan against the wall Clint sauntered back to the bench, after grabbing his shirt and tugging it over his head he worked to unwrap the bindings still enclosing his knuckles and wrists, dumping the bindings in the box he collected his leather jacket and turned to Shay stopping suddenly to watch her nervously trying to tug the collar of her t-shirt higher.

He suddenly found himself wondering if perhaps he'd coerced Shay into sex, he recalled her half spoken concerns before he'd so skilfully distracted her, during his possessive jealousy over Rumlow was it possible he'd just because as bad as Rumlow himself?

Closing the distance between them Clint stopped in front of Shay and skilfully manoeuvred his jacket up one of her arms and around for her to slip the other in, he tugged the collar up before reaching behind her head under her hair to lift it out from beneath the jacket to cascade down her back.

Bringing his hands back to settle on the lapels he slanted his head to watch Shay's face, clearing his throat nervously he asked quietly "Darlin', I didn't force you into doing anything you didn't want to back there, right?"

Blinking at the sheer stupidness of that question, Shay stepped forwards to stand on Clint's booted feet as she reached up to cup his cheeks "Babe, don't be a fucking idiot. If I didn't want you to do that, don't you think I would have fought back to try and stop you?"

The way his nose crinkled in mock disgust at the nickname had Shay crossing that one off the list, she wasn't sure when she'd made the decision to sporadically test out affectionate nicknames but of the two she'd tried so far neither seemed right for him, stretching up she brushed her lips across his in a feather light kiss of reassurance before stepping back off his boots and entangling her hand with his.

"You would have tried; I'll give you that much credit. Whether or not you succeeded would probably have been a different matter." Clint's fingers tightened against hers as he squeezed her hand while leading them from the gym, Shay was trying to mentally memorise the corridors as Clint guided them back into Coulson's office.

"How the fucking hell, do you people find your way around this damn place?" Shay reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose as she frowned, there were so many damned corridors branching off in different directions that she gathered she'd only been privy to seeing the slightest fraction of the base.

As Clint guided her back to the overly large comfy couch Shay noticed Coulson and May were already settled comfortably with Coulson seated in the arm chair with May casually propped on the arm. Once Clint settled on the couch Shay eased herself back into the cushions with a good foot between them, a throat clearing had her gaze darting questioningly to Clint as he raised both brows before looking at the gap between them with a puzzled frown.

In the past Clint had never been a big fan of PDA's, but now that he'd found Shay that was slowly changing, even though he'd put distance between them earlier when Coulson had first revealed himself it had been done as a protective gesture, right now he _really_ didn't like that small foot of distance between them.

With one arm settled on the couch's armrest and his other draped along the couch's back Clint listened astutely as Coulson spoke of the events at the Triskelion that had led to SHIELD's fall all the way through to the efforts of his team to rebuild it. Sparing a glance at Shay before returning his attention to Coulson he asked the one question that was niggling at the forefront of his mind with a flat tone "What happened to Rumlow?"

He saw three different reactions occur simultaneously; Coulson's brow furrowed in apparent confusion, May's lips twitched as her eyes brightened with intrigue and from his peripheral vision he saw Shay slide across that small distance separating them into his side as she burrowed deeper into his jacket.

"From the reports we received, he and the STRIKE team were Pierce's top HYDRA agents, he was fighting with Falcon inside the Triskelion when one of the Insight helicarriers crashed into the building, and he's presumed dead." Coulson spared May a querying glance before returning his attention to Clint just as the archer draped his arm around Shay's shoulders. As an after thought he tacked on "Why?"

"Because, if he's not dead, I'm damn well going to rectify that situation. He had the gall to touch _my _soulmate." Shay flinched at the icy tone of Clint's voice and turned slightly into him to wrap one arm around his midsection as she glanced up, wincing at his set, grim expression.

They stared at each other for a long moment, finally interrupted by Coulson clearing his throat. Clint looked back at the older man.

"I know avenging wrongs is kind of your thing, Clint," Coulson smiled wryly. "But I'm pretty sure Rumlow's dead. There are, however, a lot more people dead who didn't deserve it half so much. As far as I know, I and my people here are about all that's left of SHIELD. I could really use you."

For a long moment Clint met his eyes in silence. Until a slight movement from Shay, still pressed against him, drew his eyes away.

"I'm done with being used. Sir." He stood abruptly, tugging Shay up with him. "If I'm going to be avenging wrongs – my place isn't here with you."

Coulson only nodded, as though he'd expected no other answer. Leaning forward over the coffee table he placed a set of car keys down, leaning back in the chair with his hand just brushing the side of May's thigh he said "Good luck, Clint."


	16. Assumptions

**Chapter Sixteen:** Assumptions

Leaning back in the passenger seat of the car Coulson had given Clint, Shay stared quietly out the window watching the scenery pass as Clint drove, her mind was working to reprocess through what she had witnessed in Coulson's office earlier. Shifting slightly in the seat to look at him, her tone was wary as she asked "What the hell was that all about?"

She watched Clint take his eyes off the road momentarily to shoot a quizzical look in her direction before his attention turned back to the road. "What was what about?"

Studying the confused frown now curving his talented mouth Shay shook her head slightly and turned her gaze back out the window as she spoke "The whole thing in Coulson's office, when he first walked in. I understand that you thought him dead and obviously seeing him was a shock, but I get the feeling there's more going on than I know."

Her mind was still stuck on the possibility of them being lovers and it unfortunately refused to let go of the idea, instead it clung onto it like a starving dog with a bone, part of her mind was reeling with the thought of _is he gay_, another part argued that he had to be bisexual, he was just too talented to be into guys only.

"Just what _was_ he to you? You seemed really angry about the fact he was alive and hadn't told you…..were you and he…" Shay trailed off here and contemplated the best way to finish that sentence, tugging nervously at the sleeves of Clint's leather jacket she thought for a few minutes before waving her hand vaguely as she blurted "together?"

As the confusion spread further across his face Shay gnawed at her lower lip slightly before blurting "You know…together, as in lovers, boyfriends, friends with benefits, fuck buddies?" She couldn't look at him to see his reaction instead turning her gaze back out the window.

Blinking suddenly as the full weight of Shay's question settled within his mind his first thought was _how_ in the hell had she come to think he and Coulson were intimately involved? Sliding his hand from the steering wheel, Clint reached over to settle it on her thigh squeezing gently as he murmured "Darlin', I'm not gay, you should realise that."

Before he had a chance to continue Shay cut him off muttering "You could be Bi." That comment caused his lips to twitch in amusement; thankfully he managed to prevent the chuckle that had been building in his chest from slipping free.

"I could be, that's true, but I'm not. I'm straight as an arrow darlin', and the only person I have _any_ interest in being _together_ with is currently sitting beside me asking me if I'd been screwing the closest thing I have to a father." He caught the faint blush of embarrassment staining Shay's cheeks before she turned her head to rest her forehead against the window. Turning his gaze back to the road he continued "Coulson was the one who recruited me into SHIELD, he's the reason I'm still alive and that my life has changed, if it weren't for him I probably wouldn't be here today."

Shay listened quietly as Clint shared stories of some of what Coulson had done for him over the years, she slipped her hand beneath his that rested on her thigh entangling their fingers.

Time flew as the stories grew more and more exuberant, she'd stared at Clint in disbelief when he'd told her how Coulson had thwarted a service station robbery with a bag of flour, she'd heard his voice waver however when he shared what he'd been told of how Coulson had died and the fact he felt that it was _his_ fault since while under Loki's mind control he'd led the team that freed Loki aboard the helicarrier.

"No," Shay stated firmly, her gaze locked on the side of Clint's face as she continued, "If you were brainwashed, or under some kind of mind control by an alien god then it's not your fault Clint, you were only human, I doubt any human would have been able to protect themselves from being controlled."

As Clint went on to recount the way he'd been treated upon returning to SHIELD and how he'd constantly wished for Coulson's reassurance and aid in dealing with the fallout, Shay was pretty certain her heart broke on more than one occasion as Clint's fingers tightened around hers before he whispered,

"He was, or I guess still _is_ despite his temporary bout of stupidity and serious lack of judgement, one of my closest friends and one of the few people I trust and consider family. As much as I was tempted by his offer to rejoin SHIELD I can't do that just yet, there's something else, _someone_ else in my life that has to come first and he knew that, _understands_ that. I have no doubt he'll get the people he needs to rebuild SHIELD into something better."

Squeezing his fingers as she shifted in her seat slightly to watch him Shay said quietly "Well I'm sure May as his soulmate will sort out his case of stupid and lack of judgement, I think she's contemplated killing him on more than one occasion."

"Wait, what? Back up, May and Coulson? Are you fucking kidding me?" Clint pulled off the road throwing the car into park before twisting in his seat to look at Shay, he was pretty sure his expression was seriously dumbfounded; he vaguely recalled seeing the neat scrawl across Coulson's shoulder blade when he'd tried to stop Natasha from storming into Coulson's office one time.

"I think so? When you stormed out of the office and left me behind, which by the way, dick move there buster, she looked to me and I quote here 'Soulmates, can't live with them, can't kill them.' Then after she told me where to find you as I was closing the door I think I heard her say to him 'I told you to call them, but would you listen?' Plus did they seem kind of cosy to you when we went back in there?" He saw Shay shrug slightly even as he mentally tried to compare what he remembered of May's handwriting to the scrawl across Coulson's shoulder.

"Surely not," Clint mumbled, even as he wracked his brain. Coulson and May had worked in completely separate divisions of SHIELD before the fall, he supposed, and the organisation had literally thousands of employees. He supposed it was quite possible they'd never met earlier.

The period where Clint himself had worked with May, Coulson had been overseas doing something entirely different. As usual when Clint went into the field without Coulson, it had ended badly – in Bahrain, after which May had left the field and buried herself in Admin.

"Well," Clint said eventually, beginning to grin, "Phil and May. How amusing. She'll definitely keep him on his toes."

"So _Hawkeye_, what's our next move?" The lilting purr of her voice saying his codename sent a shiver running down the length of Clint's spine.

Shay had been quietly watching Clint during their conversation about Coulson and May so she clearly saw the reaction he had to her use of his codename, his pupils had briefly blown wide before returning to normal. She tracked his tongue as it moistened his lips before he cleared his throat to rumble "Our next move? Well, I had thought to take you home to New York and introduce you to the rest of my friends and team mates?"

The silence in the car was deafening as Clint let his gaze roam Shay's face in puzzlement, he could almost see the argument occurring within her head as her fight or flight instinct seemingly reared its head, when she finally spoke her voice was little more than a whisper "You want me to meet your friends?"

"Yes, even Stark, though how in the hell I wound up considering him a friend I think will forever be a mystery, or it's the result of too many blows to the head. Man is a pain in the ass at the best of times, but a good friend and ally to have." Clint wasn't stupid, he could understand how meeting his friends would be daunting for Shay, and after all it wasn't every day one meets superheroes.

"However, with that being said, I think I'd like to keep you all to myself for one more night before I throw you deeper into the insanity that is my life." Taking hold of Shay's closest hand and bringing it up to his mouth Clint brushed a kiss across her knuckles before letting her hand fall back to her lap, turning his attention back to the road he put the car back in gear and pulled back out.

The silence that lingered in the car was a little disconcerting to Clint so while the road was clear ahead he spared Shay a glance, what he saw had a frown creasing his brow as she appeared to be struggling to stay awake, he watched as her eyelids would flutter shut momentarily before snapping open and starting the whole thing over again. "Tired?"

Clint's low murmur startled Shay causing her to jump slightly in her seat, reaching across to put the car window down, she hoped the fresh air might help her stay awake as she answered "A bit, I didn't get much sleep last night. And _someone_ used up what energy I _did_ have a little while ago."

The sheepish expression on Clint's face when he glanced her way again Shay found kind of adorable, shifting in her seat she reached over and let her hand rest high on his thigh, watching him through half lidded eyes as she murmured "Not that I'm complaining about how that energy was expended, mind you."

"Huh, and here I thought I wore you out last night." Shay picked up the slightest twinge of disappointment in Clint's tone at the same moment his shoulders slumped almost imperceptibly, squeezing his thigh firmly she took a moment to think of the best way to phrase her response.

"You did, you're very precise and definitely thorough with whatever you put your mind to it seems. But even as exhausted as I was last night I couldn't get back to sleep after the nightmare."

"Then you should have woken me." The definitive tone of his voice made Shay blink slowly, her eyelids feeling heavier than normal as she processed that, when she finally spoke her voice was a quiet drawl.

"You needed the rest; besides you looked so peaceful; I didn't have the heart to wake you." She took in his profile as her fingers began to idly stroke his thigh, the barely audible sigh from Clint just as one of his large hands dropped from the steering wheel to still her hand had Shay fighting to focus on his voice when he spoke.

"Do me a favour darlin', the next time you wake from a nightmare, if I'm not already awake, wake me ok? I'd rather be awake and spending time with you than sleeping while you can't. In the meantime, try and get some rest."

"Hmm," was the only response he received from Shay, which led him to assume she had dozed off, curling his hand lightly over the top of hers that still rested on his thigh he turned his attention back to the road.

As he drove Clint mulled over his options, he could either drive them all the way back to New York and then find somewhere to stay for the night or he could find somewhere to stay outside of New York.

Outside the city seemed the safest bet, somewhere that he could stay off the radar and away from surveillance cameras. With that in mind, he turned off into the hills and found a quiet little town with a very small, old-fashioned motel. The old couple who ran the place probably didn't even have a computer, and certainly no surveillance. He told them he and Shay were newly-weds, just looking for some peace and quiet, and got an understanding smile from the old lady and a surprisingly dirty wink from her husband as he carried his sleeping soulmate out of the car to the room.

Clint had slipped from the room again briefly after getting Shay settled beneath the bed covers to collect their bags, while he'd been out of the room he had thankfully thought to ask the older lady if there was anywhere nearby that he could purchase food, he'd been honestly stunned when the kindly woman had simply shook her head and with a warm smile said "I'll put together something for you and your wife and leave it outside your room dearie."

That had been two hours ago and Clint had been passing the time by idly sitting at the foot of the bed flicking through the newspaper the kindly motherly motel owner had given him when the first distressed whimpers began to slip from Shay's throat. Setting the paper aside he turned to watch as she slowly started thrashing, the bed covers gradually being kicked aside.

Hoisting himself onto the empty side of the bed Clint crawled quickly up the length of the bed, reaching out to carefully grasp her thrashing arms by the wrists as he murmured reassuringly "It's ok darlin', you're safe, I've got you."

Stroking his thumbs over her inner wrists, Clint shifted to lie over Shay settling his weight carefully with his forearms braced either side of her head and his legs straddling one of hers, dropping his head to her throat he nuzzled gently.

"No Brock, don't," the quietly muttered plea made Clint freeze, his blood running cold as anger flared deep within him, his mind swirled through different scenarios that would cause her wild thrashing and heart breaking plea.

As distracted as he was by his wild imaginings Clint really didn't expect the sudden jolt of pain that flared in his rib cage as Shay's knee connected sharply with his side knocking him off her, the rolling momentum sending him off the side of the bed with a thud, curling his arm around his ribs he took a moment or two to try and suck a breath in, he heard the sharp sudden intake of breath he assumed was Shay jolting awake that was followed by a quiet and slightly unsure "Clint?"

"Here." A frown creased Shay's brow at the groaned response, before seeing Clint's hand raise from below the other side of the bed, instantly her mind screamed _oh fuck, what have I done?_ Scrambling across the bed to peer over the edge, taking in the way he was lying on his back with his arm curled about his ribs and the barely concealed pain in his expression her stomach dropped with a sudden feeling of dread.

"No, no, no, what did I do?" Shay muttered as she slid from the bed. Straddling Clint's thighs she leant forward to cup his cheeks and brushed her mouth over his, murmuring "Let me see?"

Reaching for the hem of Clint's shirt as he forced himself to sit up with a grimace, Shay eased it up and over his head, carelessly flinging it over her shoulder as her hands slid down his chest to gently probe at his ribs, she would never forgive herself if she hurt him.

Clint could see the self-reproach etched clearly on Shay's face as her hands busied themselves poking and prodding at his ribs, occasionally causing a sharp pained exhale of breath as she hit a tender spot, settling one hand on her hip he reached up to curl his other around the nape of her neck as he whispered "It's ok darlin', you just winded me and bruised my ego a little, _I'm_ fine, I'm more concerned about what had _you_ thrashing around and begging fucking Rumlow to stop."

The last response Clint had expected was for a strangled sob to slip free of Shay's throat as she flung her arms over his shoulders and buried her face into his throat, turning his head slightly he brushed gentle kisses against her hair holding her close as she fought to pull herself back together.

When he felt Shay lift her head Clint quietly studied her face, he could see her apprehension clearly for a split second, before she suddenly grasped his wrist and guided his hand from her hip up beneath the hem of her shirt to rest on the right lower side of her back. His brow furrowed and he was about to ask what was going on when her hand slid along his to guide his fingers.

As his fingers brushed over a small cluster of scars and Shay averted her eyes from his Clint couldn't prevent the low rumbling growl that rolled through his chest. Running his fingers lightly over the scars he explored each one that made up the cluster individually, without looking and going by the pure feel of the scarring he surmised that they were caused by a tactical knife, probably one of the many Rumlow had carried and used the few times they'd worked together. "He did this to you? _Why?_"

"I…uh, ignored one of his requests and that was the price I paid for it. It's not a mistake I repeated." How the hell he'd missed seeing the cluster of scars last night in the farmhouse was beyond him, however his attention had been focused on other matters, deep down Clint was seething that Rumlow had dared to punish Shay in such a way.


	17. Temptation

**Author's Note: **Slowly getting towards the end now. After this chapter I have six more to get up and it'll be all done. For now anyway there may be ideas lingering for a sequel but we'll see what happens.

**Chapter Seventeen:** Temptation

A gentle knock on the door distracted Clint from the dark tempestuous path his thoughts had taken. After Shay slipped easily off his lap in order to disappear into the bathroom he pushed himself to his feet, crossing the distance to the door with several long languid strides he flipped the lock before turning the handle to pull the door open in time to see the kindly old lady, whose name he hadn't even thought to find out, disappear back into the office before his gaze dropped to the basket by his feet. As Shay's arms wrapped around his waist he settled one hand over both of hers. Her lips brushed his shoulder as she whispered "What's that?"

"Dinner," was his only response as he picked up the basket with his free hand, Clint sucked in a shallow breath as Shay's mouth started to travel teasingly along his shoulder, tightening his hand over both of hers he growled quietly "You keep doing that, darlin', and we won't be eating for a while."

"Hmm, did it maybe occur to you that that's fine by me? That maybe right now I'd much rather devour you, my handsome, talented _Hawk_." His hand fell away from hers as he turned in the confined space of her arms to lower his head and capture her mouth in a heated kiss, backing her out of the doorway he hooked his foot around the door to kick it shut.

The breathy murmur of the pet name she'd so obviously chosen for him combined with her mouth fastened on his sent his blood rushing south causing his cock to twitch and begin to swell within his cargo pants. As he felt one of her hands slip from his lower back he vaguely registered the sound of the door's lock clicking into place, bringing his free hand up he buried it in her hair as he feasted upon her delectable mouth.

Backing her across to the bed Clint crouched awkwardly without breaking their kiss, his hand at the back of her head pulling her with him to set the basket on the floor. Pulling back from the kiss with a low groan he moved both hands to grasp the hem of Shay's t-shirt, as his hungry eyes studied her expressive face he could see the lingering traces of her nightmare still in the depths of her rich chocolate eyes, when her arms willingly lifted above her head he took that opportunity to guide the material off and drop it on the bed.

Turning her back to Clint, Shay quickly scanned the room before spotting her bag, as she crossed the small distance to where it rested she reached behind her back to unfasten her bra and remove it. Glancing back over her shoulder to Clint her mouth curved into a half grin as she flung the black cotton material over her shoulder at him.

She could almost feel Clint's eyes on her bare back tracking her every movement, hooking her thumbs into the waistband of her yoga pants she slowly, temptingly eased the thin material down over her hips, relishing the low groan from him that floated through the room as she bent over to slide the material down her legs.

Stepping out of the pooled material as she straightened Shay turned her attention to rifling through her bag, glancing briefly over her shoulder she saw Clint twisting the material of her bra between his clenched hands, eventually finding what she was looking for in her bag she pulled out the box of condoms and bottle of lube she'd stuffed in there before leaving Clint's farmhouse.

Sauntering back over to Clint she dropped the two items on top of her shirt before turning her attention to him, her hands moving to disentangle the twisted mess of material from his hands and throwing it aside, running her hands up his muscular arms and across his shoulders Shay then slid her hands down over Clint's chest to the waistband of his pants as she whispered "I want to watch you stroke your cock. Show me, no _teach_ me, what you like."

Clint felt a shiver go through him as Shay's fingers stroked along the faint trail of hair running from his navel to where it disappeared beneath the waistband of his pants, her whispered request was also something he definitely wasn't going to refuse. Hastily unfastening the cargo pants he took one step back from Shay to roughly shove the material down off his hips before sitting heavily on the edge of the bed to pull them the rest of the way off.

He felt Shay settle in to kneel behind him and reached for the lube only to find her smaller hand snatching the bottle before him. She grasped his hand gently and squeezed some of the lube onto his fingers before he curled them around his semi erect cock and started to lightly stroke from base to tip. Her mouth nipping at his throat drew a low groan from him as he leant back against her chest, shifting his head slightly to rest against her shoulder to give her a better view and access.

Shay's hands stroking along his chest and her mouth moving along his neck and shoulder were an erotic combination with his stroking. Stalling his ministrations he lifted his hand to catch hers and stroked her fingers to coat them in some of the lube before guiding her hand down to curl around his hardening length, settling his hand over the top of hers, fitting his fingers between hers and restarted his stroking, guiding her hand with his own.

The stark contrast between his calloused fingers and her soft ones on his growing cock only heightened the sensation of their combined strokes arousing him further; when Shay gave a firm upwards tug he hadn't been expecting it sent a jolt of fire shooting through his veins, his hips jerking up unexpectedly into their entwined hands.

With a guttural groan Clint eased both their hands off his now throbbing erection. The loss of Shay's breasts pressed into his back and the shift in the mattress told him she was shuffling back further onto the bed, using her shirt he cleaned the excess lube off his hand before grabbing one of the foil packets and opening it to sheath his cock.

Crawling up the bed Clint settled himself between Shay's parted legs, he ran his hand down her thigh to hook it beneath her knee, lifting her leg to his hip. Clint groaned as he felt her hand close around his sheathed length to guide him to her welcoming entrance, shifting his weight he slid slowly into her heated core.

He'd intended to savor their joining but Shay apparently had other ideas, when she arched her back and pulled him tight with her leg around his hip, he sank to the hilt with a husky growl.

Sliding his arm under her back, he lifted her, holding her to his chest, keeping them connected as he shifted back onto his knees and awkwardly shuffled them along the bed to the wall, Shay clutching at his shoulders as she straddled his lap her breasts pressing firmly against his chest.

As he braced one hand against the wall Shay shifted slightly in his lap, settling one foot against the bed to use for leverage as her mouth crashed down onto his, from there things got fast and sloppy and the good kind of rough.

Clint groaned into her mouth, their kiss a fiery battle of teeth and tongues as she rode him as though their lives depended on it, her arms wrapped around him as her short nails scraped across his shoulders and down his spine. Her breathy moans of "Yes, there" or "Harder" or his favourite one "Oh, fuck me, do that again!" fed his seemingly unending desire for her body even more.

He was finding it harder to maintain a consistent rhythm however as she kept changing it, one minute she was riding him slowly, the next her movements would be frantic and fast or even a deep grind, then she'd simply hold on and let him take the lead.

With both his hands now full with her delicious ass, Clint drove up into her slow and deep until she started chasing his thrusts with her hips, speeding things up before torturously slowing them down again.

Her climax came out of nowhere, one minute she'd had her head thrown back, taking stroke after stroke as he drove into her, the next her cheek pressed to his, her fingers curling tightly against his shoulders. "Wait. Don't move."

The softly whispered plea had Clint's movements stop almost instantly as a low growl rumbled from his chest as she gave one slight roll of her hips, the quiet keen by his ear combined with her back suddenly arching as her body went rigid as her inner muscles began fluttering around his aching cock buried deep inside her drove him to the edge of his control.

Her shaky breaths by his ear was joined by her nails raking softly at the back of his neck in his hairline as she murmured quietly "_Hawk_, move, now please?" And that was a plea he was helpless to refuse, craving release as he was, his hips started driving up hard into her pliant, welcoming body fuelling the aftershocks of her orgasm as she busied herself lazily kissing his chin, his throat, the spot where his neck met his shoulder.

When she began sucking a firm bruise into place there, a low content moan rolling from her throat that he felt more than he heard, Clint knew he was a goner, several sharp solid thrusts later and that was it, buried deep within Shay his climax ripped through his body, his balls pulling tight as her muscles constricted around him with her second orgasm milking him for all he was worth.

Bracing her hands behind her on the headboard Shay forced her jelly-like legs to work as she pushed herself up off Clint's lap, he'd slid one hand between them to hold the condom in place as his cock slipped free. Waiting till he disappeared into the bathroom she flopped ungracefully face first into the mattress, crossing her arms beneath her head as a pillow she let her eyes drift shut briefly to listen to the running water.

She felt the mattress dip under Clint's weight mere moments before his mouth brushed over the cluster of scars at her back, humming quietly she turned her head as his mouth worked slowly upwards along her back till it came to rest behind her ear as he rumbled "You're a Temptress."

Laughing quietly Shay uncrossed her arms and rolled to her side propping her head up in one hand to look at Clint, he'd moved and was reaching over the end of the bed and hoisting the basket up which gave her a spectacular view of his bare ass, licking her suddenly dry lips she murmured "Says the man whose ass has been tempting me since day one?"

Reaching out with her free hand Shay swatted his ass as he moved back up along the bed, the quiet grunt along with the smouldering look he gave her making her waggle both brows as she quipped "Well you _did_ flash that ass at me twice in the span of a couple of hours, a woman can't not look at that fine specimen and not get ideas."

Pushing herself up to crawl up the bed as Clint started pulling the food out, Shay settled to sit beside him reaching into the basket to grab a bottle of water, twisting the lid off she was just taking a sip as he retorted "Well, an old man like me has to use everything to his advantage to get a pretty woman's attention."

Shay snorted with laughter before coughing as the water went down the wrong way, screwing the lid back on as one of Clint's large hands patted between her shoulder blades, she shook her head in disbelief her shoulders shaking lightly with silent laughter for a few more seconds before she forced herself to speak "I don't think you're _that_ much older than me Clint….are you? I mean I recall my mom telling me your words were on me when I was born."

"Pretty sure I was five when your words burned into my skin Shay." His hand slid from between her shoulders as he returned his attention to the food, worrying her lower lip with her teeth Shay quietly watched Clint as one thought lodged in her head _Is he really worried about the age difference?_

"Five years isn't exactly a huge gap Clint, it's not that uncommon really, and it's actually closer than….uh," She really didn't want to throw Rumlow's name out there right then, but when Clint glanced up and she caught the dark flash in his eyes she _knew_ he knew who she was referring to, not wanting to ruin the afterglow she tried to change the direction of the conversation asking "Speaking of words, where exactly are mine on you? I still don't think I've found them anywhere."

Shaking his head with a low chuckle Clint reached out to brush a strand of hair out of Shay's eyes, he appreciated the way she'd diverted the conversation from their age difference and she was right five years wasn't that uncommon of an age gap between soulmates or even lovers, but still deep down he _felt_ just a little like a dirty old man taking advantage of a sweet young thing.

"Of course you haven't found them darlin', especially if your gaze keeps getting fixated on my ass. They're further down on the back of my left calf. That's actually why I always wear long pants now when out in public or at SHIELD, they're too easily seen in shorts, well that and the incident with Bobbi." As Shay crawled down the bed away from him he shifted the basket from his thighs to the spot she'd vacated on the bed.

He watched quietly as she nudged his legs far enough apart that she could lie on her stomach, her head resting between his knees, bending his left knee he gave her access to his calf. When she shifted her head beneath his bent knee to look at the words as her fingers lightly stroked across them, Clint was forced to suck in a sharp breath as her soft hair tickled the underside of his thigh. "I'm sorry."

Clint blinked his brow furrowing slightly at the whispered apology, he wasn't entirely sure what she was apologising for, watching as she pushed herself up to crawl further up between his legs and settle back down with her head resting on his chest, stroking one hand through her hair he asked "Why are you apologising?"

"For my words. No one should have to walk around most of their life being called a moron." He could hear the regret in her tone for having stuck him with a soul mark that had plagued him for the majority of his life.

It'd taken some awkward manoeuvring on Shay's part to get settled into a position where she could eat, but she'd been reluctant to move from where she'd been resting between his legs with her head settled on his chest and honestly he hadn't wanted her to move.

Once they'd both finished eating he nudged the empty basket off the side of the bed and shuffled the both of them down the bed slightly so his head settled on the pillow, reaching across to turn the lamp off he felt Shay shift to tug the covers over them before she nuzzled into his chest with a contented sigh.


	18. Homecoming

**Chapter Eighteen:** Homecoming

The drive back into New York had been peaceful, relaxing and filled with quiet conversation; Clint sharing stories of his time in the circus while she shared some of the happier moments of her life, their conversation had thankfully distracted her from the daunting thought of meeting his friends, his _family_.

However, now that they were walking into Avengers Tower she had a kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttering in her stomach, tugging the baseball cap down lower with her free hand to conceal her face she felt Clint's grasp squeeze reassuringly on her other one as she whispered "Suddenly, I'm not so sure about this."

"You'll be fine darlin', I'm right here with you." Clint's husky voice was oddly reassuring and settled the butterflies just a little, though as they made their way through the large flashy foyer Shay saw from the corner of her eye the receptionist trying to flag them down as Clint walked them right past.

"Umm are we meant to check in with her?" Inclining her head towards the now obviously flustered receptionist who was on the phone, probably to security, Shay felt the butterflies increase. When Clint stopped by the elevators to press his thumb against the call button she turned to slide in front of him, her free hand coming to rest on his chest as she glanced around his side at the converging security team. "Clint?"

The cautious tone of Shay's voice had him turning his head to follow her gaze, since he was last at the Tower Stark had obviously increased his security teams and replaced the Tower's receptionist, tracking the security team as they fanned out to block them in Clint quirked one brow upwards just as the elevator doors behind Shay dinged open and JARVIS's disembodied voice drifted over them. "Welcome back Mr Barton, Sir and the rest of the team currently residing within the Tower have been informed of your return and are in the process of convening in the penthouse to welcome you home."

Turning his head away from the marginally stunned security team Clint glanced down to Shay who was looking up at him curiously, with a cheeky wink and grin he moved forward, backing her into the elevator till her back was pressed against the rear wall. As the elevator doors closed and they started upwards he glanced briefly to the ceiling as he spoke, "It's good to be back JARVIS, at least this time you let us in. Also can you inform the guys we have company?"

Letting go of Shay's hand he reached out and pulled the baseball cap off her head letting her hair fall free, folding the cap he reached around to stuff it into the back pocket of her jeans. Bracing his arm against the elevator wall above Shay's head his free hand hooked two fingers under her chin to tilt her head upwards; he could feel the fingers of her hand resting against his chest twitching nervously.

"Hey, it'll be ok, trust me?" He murmured reassuringly, she had the distinctive look of a deer in the headlights, her soft sigh followed by her trying to take a calming breath as she slipped her arms around his waist had his mouth curving into a half grin.

"I trust you, I think I have since the hospital, which probably makes me just the slightest bit insane." The blunt honesty of Shay's tone sank into his chest and wrapped around his heart; that she could trust him that easily when he was still a complete stranger based solely on the fact they were soulmates was humbling.

"Good thing I like insane then, huh?" He teased before dropping his head and slanting his mouth over hers in a light kiss, slipping his hand from beneath her chin he ran the backs of his fingers down her delicate throat and around to settle his hand on the nape of her neck.

The only thought currently running through Shay's head was that Clint's mouth _really_ should be outlawed, he was way too talented with that devious mouth and wicked tongue. She ran her hands up his back beneath his jacket to his shoulders as he deepened the kiss, holding on to him tightly.

"Why is Legolas currently defiling my elevator with a stranger? I thought he was into you, Red?" The strange voice broke through the haze in her brain as Clint pulled back from the kiss with an apologetic smile, sliding her hands free of his coat as he pushed off the wall and turned she frowned as the strange voice's words clicked in her head.

Peering around Clint's arm at the group standing outside the door, given the way Clint was looking at the man in the Black Sabbath t-shirt and jeans she assumed he was the one responsible for the comment, stepping around Clint she crossed her arms over her chest and snapped "Excuse me? If he were intent on defiling _your_ elevator I can damn well guarantee we'd have been doing more than just kissing."

As Clint's arm curled around her waist, tugging her back against his chest as he buried his face against her hair Shay could feel his silent laughter vibrating in his chest against her back, which was about the same time she suddenly realised her brain-mouth filter had just nose dived out the penthouse window.

Mentally berating herself for that particular outburst she took a moment to observe the group standing outside the doors. There were two women, one of whom was her height with fiery red hair, who she recognised from her research a week ago as the Black Widow.

The other woman was maybe five inches taller and she realised that was Pepper Potts; she'd seen the big write up on her a couple of years back when she'd been made CEO of Stark Industries, of the two men she suddenly clicked that the one speaking was Tony Stark, it was the quiet one with soft chocolate eyes and a shy apologetic smile who drew her focus the longest, he was so calm, almost serene and yet at the same time appeared so lost.

The vibration of Clint's silent laughter gradually faded and she felt his arm tighten about her waist briefly as he lifted his face from her hair, his voice calmer and more relaxed than she'd ever heard it as he began the introductions.

"From the left we have my partner and best friend Natasha Romanoff, beside her is Stark's soulmate Pepper Potts, then we have the ever tactless Tony Stark and the man you're staring at is Bruce Banner. These are my friends, my _family_ really. Guys this is Shaylyn Harrison, my soulmate."

Remaining quiet Shay watched the varied reactions of the group from Natasha's arched delicate eyebrow, to Pepper's happy smile, Bruce's slow shy smile before settling on Tony's flabbergasted expression as she simply said a little uncertainly "Nice to meet you?"

"_Your_ soulmate?" Tony treated Shay to a long, slow look up and down. The kind of look that made her palm itch to smack his face. "You lucky bastard, Barton, how come you always land on your feet? You a cat or something?"

Curling both her hands around Clint's forearm at her waist to prevent her from doing something utterly stupid Shay levelled an unimpressed stare at Tony as she growled quietly to Clint "Billionaire or not, he ogles me like that again and his balls will be getting a one on one with my knee."

Clint grunted quietly in acknowledgement to Shay as he guided them out of the elevator and through the group to head into the common room, settling down onto one of the couches he tugged Shay down into his lap his sky blue eyes studying his friends as they all settled around the room and he said simply "I don't always land on my feet Stark, I was in bad shape when Fate dropped Shay in my life. Besides it's not like you can complain with Pepper in your life."

"And here I thought Red would be your perfect soulmate, you two have so much in common what with both being master assassins and all." Clint winced as he saw Shay stiffen at Tony's remark before her gaze darted briefly to Natasha, moments before she turned a questioning gaze in his direction.

"Stark, we've been through this before, Nat is like a sister to me, nothing more." His tone was exasperated but honestly he was sick of having to repeat this to Tony over and over, just because he and Natasha always looked after each other after missions or when sick Tony seemed to automatically assume that meant they were also tending to each others sexual needs.

"So Shaylyn, how did you and Clint meet exactly?" He'd forever be grateful for Pepper choosing to change the conversation right then and effectively shutting Tony up from voicing his assumptions.

As she shared the story of how they met, Shay was silently watching the reactions of the others in the room, it was Natasha's furrowed brow and the tight set of her mouth that she found most telling. It was obvious that the other woman wasn't impressed by Clint getting hurt and she gathered by the way Natasha's astute emerald eyes were studying him that she was trying to assess his injuries, which reminded her that she needed to talk to Clint about that later.

"What exactly is it that you do?" The protectiveness in the tone of Natasha's voice was evident to Shay, tilting her head slightly as she looked the other woman directly in the eyes she got the distinct impression she was being assessed.

"I'm a Paramedic, or maybe I should say _was_? I'm not sure if I'll be able to go back to work after what happened last week." Clint could hear the wistful note in Shay's voice and he suddenly felt bad that events from his life had possibly ruined one of the best things in her life.

As he thought more on the matter he wasn't entirely sure there was much he could offer Shay to make up for the loss, he knew her work was a big part of the changes she'd made to turn her life around. When his gaze drifted from Shay to Pepper he could see the other woman studying him fondly.

"I'm sure if you can't go back to the Fire Department that you could be extremely useful as the Avengers medic? This lot tend to come back in worse condition than they leave a lot of the time and I'm sure poor Bruce could use an extra set of trained hands to put them back together?"

Clint blinked, his gaze still locked on Pepper, he truly was amazed at how the shrewd woman's mind worked, a lot of the time she'd often see things a few steps ahead of the rest of them. He was grateful for her suggestion however, especially when he turned his head to meet Shay's gaze and he saw the briefest flash of excitement along with the silent question in her eyes. "I already told you that you'd be my personal medic, but I can't make you treat the rest of these guys, that's your call to make, darlin'."

"I can't say it's not tempting, so for now consider this a maybe as I weigh up my options?" It was a seriously tempting offer and Shay knew she'd be a fool if she didn't at least consider it, she could hear Clint talking with the others though she was too distracted by her own thoughts to be listening.

When she saw Pepper stand and move off towards a kitchen on the far side of the room she extracted herself from Clint's hold and slipped off his lap to follow after the other woman who was busying herself with a seriously expensive looking coffee maker and quietly asked "Pepper, I don't mean to bother you but could you please point me in the direction of the nearest bathroom?"

After getting the directions from Pepper she quickly made her way to the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind her before rushing to the toilet. Drinking four bottles of waters over the long drive probably hadn't been the smartest move, as she stood and pulled her jeans and underwear up she heard the door handle jiggle, flushing the toilet and moving to the basin she called out "Just a minute."

Making short work of the lock with his pocket knife Clint closed it and stuffed it back into his pocket, opening the door silently he stepped into the bathroom closing and relocking the door behind him as his gaze settled on Shay's back as she washed her hands. When he finally spoke his tone was incredulous, "You locked the door?"

He watched as Shay jumped and turned suddenly, her eyes startled, he winced when her hip connected with the counter drawing a muttered curse from her lips as she levelled an accusing stare on him and muttered "Of course I locked the door; there are virtual strangers down the hall! Speaking of which _how_ did you get in?"

When he thought about that he conceded she had a point and rubbed sheepishly at the back of his neck as he closed the distance between them while he spoke "I picked the lock."

"You picked the lock? Why?" Stopping in front of Shay he reached out to unfasten the button and zipper of her jeans folding the material away from her hip, dropping to his knees he brushed his fingers lightly over the forming bruise he could see, as he brushed his lips lightly over the bruise causing her to suck in a sharp breath he tilted his head up to meet her dark eyes looking down at him as she mumbled "No, you can't break in here and scare the life out of me and then try to work your way into my pants."

A sharp flick to his nose followed by her palm on his forehead pushing his head back prompted him to reluctantly stand, settling his hands on Shay's waist he lifted her up and sat her on the counter, nudging her knees apart he stepped in between her legs so they were face to face his fingers dropping to soothingly stroke over the bruising skin of her hip as he murmured "That wasn't why I came in here and as appealing as that idea is darlin' I wouldn't do that with Stark down the hall. I actually came to talk to you privately about something."

"About what?" The uncertainty in Shay's eyes and tone of voice was evident to him, closing his eyes for a moment as he took a deep breath, he figured this was either going to be a good idea or she'd smack him upside the head for even contemplating it.

"I want to tell Nat about your past with Rumlow."

"You want to _what?_" Shay's voice sounded shocked and he was pretty sure the last word came out as more of a squeak, her legs tightening against his hips was the first hint he had something wasn't right followed by her sudden shallow and rapid breathing.

He honestly hadn't expected her to panic over the suggestion, but that was clearly the reaction she was having. Reaching out Clint grabbed both of her hands and settled them against his ribs holding them there as he leant forward to brush kisses over her face, he started with her nose then worked his way anti clockwise by moving to her cheek then up to her forehead until he eventually claimed her mouth in a gentle kiss.

When her breathing eventually evened out and her legs loosened at his hips he eased back from the kiss to rest his forehead against hers to look her directly in the eyes as his fingers stroked along the backs of her hands.

"You said before that you trusted me; know that I wouldn't suggest this without a damn good reason darlin'. Nat has worked closely with that bastard for the past year at least that I know of, I was hoping if you agreed to let me tell her that I could get her to help me give you a refresher course in self defence?"

The last thing he expected was for Shay to move her hands from his ribs to cup his cheeks as she pulled her head back from his to study his face, when she spoke her voice was quiet "I do trust you, if you think that's a good idea I'm not going to argue. Though if I were you, I probably would have led with that reasoning, over the whole 'I want to tell Nat about your deep, dark, dirty past'."

"Duly noted darlin', out of curiosity do you have panic attacks often?" Settling his hands back at her waist Clint lifted her off the counter and stepped back to settle her feet on the floor, his hands gliding over the exposed skin of her stomach to refasten her jeans.

His only response was her softly whispered. "Not as often as I used to."

_**Meanwhile, at a secret HYDRA facility**_

Strolling casually into one the offices of the medical wing Whitehall was currently studying the before and after medical charts of their recent recovery effort. The subject had been one of HYDRA's most loyal double agents and _had_ been thought lost when the Triskelion crumbled.

One of Bakshi's men had stumbled across their lost asset within one of the DC interior hospitals when hunting for a SHIELD Agent, five days ago they'd sent a recovery team in to extract their severely burned and injured asset and had him transported to this facility for treatment.

He'd made the decision to test out their latest version of super-soldier serum, it had been another strand of research running parallel to the Centipede project and from what he was reading the results were seemingly stable, in this subject at least, previous attempts on other subjects had either ended tragically or gone horribly wrong.

"Doctor, Bakshi, how is our newest project fairing?" He asked curiously as he adjusted his glasses to examine the screens monitoring the asset's heart rate, respiration and blood pressure, all appeared to be in the high end of normal if not better.

"Sir, his recovery is remarkable, the majority of his lesser burns and injuries have fully healed and the more extensive ones are very close behind, the preliminary testing shows a vast improvement on his strength, agility and reflexes. We'd been about to make a start on testing his stamina when he was….distracted by his nurse and began flirting with her." Lifting his gaze from the monitors Whitehall looked to Bakshi curiously, waiting for him to clarify that particular statement.

"It seems his libido got a drastic improvement as well, thankfully he was still wearing the monitoring equipment so we have been monitoring his stamina and baseline stats through his rather, ah, _virile_ encounter." The sound of the door at the end of the hall banging open drew his attention away from Bakshi to the door of the office, just in time to see the young woman in question staggering past the door more than a little bow legged.

"The nurse, I take it?" Baskshi's hastily babbled assent was cut short just as their asset stalked through the doorway, his file had him listed at just over five foot ten for height but looking at him now the serum had obviously added an extra six inches in height and a fair amount of muscle mass to the seemingly already perfect physique.

Though it did appear that one section of the scarring that had marred his face was not going to fully heal, it had left a rather unique texture to the skin running down the right side of his face from his temple to his chin, the distinctive five o'clock shadow not quite fully hiding it. "Rumlow, if you're feeling up to returning to the action I have an assignment for you."

Tearing his deep coffee gaze from the delicious nurse's retreating backside Rumlow leant his shoulder against the doorjamb assessing the three men in the room, he couldn't recall ever having met any of them before since he'd only ever worked solely for Pierce. Eventually he grunted "Don't know you, for all I know you lot are SHIELD so right now I trust you about as far as I can throw you, which given the changes I can see and feel will likely be further than it used to be."

He watched as the doctor discreetly slipped out the side door of the office, his gaze not moving off the other two. He assumed the one with the glasses who'd spoken to him was the senior man, crossing his arms over his chest he quirked one brow upwards as the head man removed his glasses to clean them as he spoke. "You were Alexander Pierce's top commander, I had thought that given our efforts to put you back together that you would accept a similar position working for me?"

"Now why would I want to go and do that when everyone probably already thinks me dead?" He asked curiously, wondering just what it was this man was offering him.

"I can give you another shot at Rogers. He's currently seeking another of our lost assets and I'm offering you a chance to find him and kill him before he gets to that asset first."

Rumlow smiled, slowly, coldly. "You give me permission to fucking kill him this time and I'm your man."

"Then I believe we have a deal." Whitehall returned the smile.


	19. Desires

**Chapter Nineteen:** Desires

Apparently Clint telling Natasha about Rumlow had been a mixture of a blessing and a curse, the curse being that for the past week and a half she'd been having hand to hand lessons with Natasha three times a day and shooting lessons with Clint two to three times a day.

The blessing was that in regards to Clint's lessons her shooting skills were getting marginally better, in that roughly seventy-five percent of the time she'd hit what she actually was aiming for. In regards to Natasha's lessons, well she was slowly getting better with Natasha managing to pin her three bouts out of five, the biggest bonus was that her bruises were no longer getting bruises.

Which was why she was currently sitting in Clint's bath tub, which was half filled with cold water and ice, in a sports bra and compression shorts, she had her head resting on the bath ledge with her eyes closed trying to focus on something other than the icy water she was soaking in.

Hearing the door to the apartment close suddenly followed by the echo of Clint calling her name she called out "In the bathroom." Lifting her arms out of the water she rested them on the edges of the bath, it had surprised her how much the tricks of Natasha's actually worked. Between the ice baths, vinegar wash and the heated compressions her bruises were fading quicker now and her muscles weren't quite as stiff and sore after their sessions.

"What the…..don't tell me Nat got you started on that too?" Shay turned her head to watch Clint stride into the bathroom, her chocolate eyes running over him taking in the sleeveless shirt and cargo pants he wore.

"You'd be surprised how much it's helped; my bruises don't have bruises anymore." To prove her point she lifted one arm and held it out for him to come inspect, when he sat down on the edge of the bath and took hold of her arm to pull it across his lap she let her eyes drift shut again.

"I was waiting for you in the shooting range." The brush of his calloused fingers across her forearm made her hum quietly and tilt her head towards him as her eyes fluttered open again.

"Sorry, I was a little stiff after the lesson with Nat." Watching the wry grin form on his face Shay arched both brows curiously, she had a feeling he'd probably experienced a whole _other_ kind of stiffness after training with Natasha in the past, it was something in the way the other woman moved; a seductive yet deadly grace that even she was mildly curious about.

"So have you and Nat ever _slept_ together?" Clint blinked at the sudden randomness of that question before turning his gaze to rest on Shay's face, he could see the curiosity clearly on her face but he had to wonder just what had prompted that particular question.

He'd told himself after their talk at the farm that he'd never lie to Shay, so he answered her question truthfully and without reservation, his fingers stroking her forearm as he spoke. "No. Nat _knows_ her way around both sexes and often takes her pleasure wherever she can find it."

The rustle of the ice within the water along with Shay's soft hum piqued his curiosity and Clint let his gaze slide down from Shay's face along the delicate column of her throat, he paused momentarily at her bare stomach before his gaze dropped lower to where her thighs were restlessly rubbing together. It took a whole two seconds for his brain to put two and two together and for the thought of _holy shit she's aroused_ to stick on repeat within his head.

Licking his suddenly dry lips before snapping his gaze back to her face Clint growled "Shay? Darlin' are you attracted to Nat? I mean fuck I know she's tempting but I didn't know you swung that way."

He watched her eyes widen as she jerked upright in the bath her face now scant inches from his, an embarrassed flush slowly forming in her cheeks as she muttered "Nat could tempt the pants off a saint, but no, I mean don't get me wrong she is seriously fucking hot but she's not who I was thinking about."

Bringing his free hand up to brush his thumb over her cheek he swallowed, his voice going husky as he asked "Then who _were_ you thinking about?"

"Do you _really_ need me to answer that?" Her voice ghosted by his ear moments before her tongue traced along the outer edge of his ear, her hands working their way beneath the hem of his shirt as she continued, her voice little more than a breathy whisper "You know, I really should just make you watch as I pleasure myself, it's not nice to leave a girl wanting for a whole week."

In truth he wouldn't fault her for doing that, he'd seen the way she'd been watching him over the past week but he'd been reluctant to even start anything given the rough training regimen Natasha was putting her through, she'd been bruised and tired and _now_ he realised seriously horny.

He didn't even attempt to stop the shameless groan that slipped free as her nails raked firmly along his ribs, at the same time her teeth nipped firmly at his ear lobe sending blood rushing almost instantly to his stirring cock.

"Hmm, today is your lucky day though. I've missed having my wonderfully talented _Hawk_ buried deep inside me, driving me out of my mind with his particular brand of exquisite torture." The low seductive murmur tipped him over the edge, pushing off the edge of the bath and turning he reached down to hook his hands under her arms and hauled Shay to her feet, dropping his hands to her waist he lifted her drenched body out of the bath, hauling her body flush with his so her legs settled around his waist.

"Woman, I'll show you fucking exquisite torture alright." He growled as Shay managed to albeit rather awkwardly divest him of his shirt, crashing his mouth down firmly onto hers as his hands slid from her hips to cup her ass he walked them across to the shower, kicking his feet free of his sneakers as he went.

**Unknown HYDRA Safe house**

Sitting back in the chair of the kitchen of the safe house they were currently set up in Rumlow kicked his booted feet up onto the table, flipping the folder open his dark coffee eyes began to scan the photos from the past week of surveillance on the Tower.

He was looking for a way in, a way to get someone from the Avenger's inner circle that could get him to Rogers, Potts he ruled out even going near she was too public to touch; a CEO vanishing never ended well and he'd heard rumours of what Stark had done to get her back from Killian, the billionaire proving to be one resourceful son of a bitch even without his damnable suits.

Banner he wasn't even stupid enough to consider, the last thing he needed was to face off with the Hulk, he doubted his regenerative abilities were enough for him to even a stand a chance of defeating the beast.

Setting aside the images of Potts, Stark and Banner, his gaze then fell upon an image of Romanoff, which had possibilities. His mouth twisted into a wicked grin as he dragged a calloused thumb over her pretty face.

For the eighteen months his STRIKE team had worked with her and Rogers, he'd found himself looking his fill of her delectable curves in that skin tight catsuit she wore, she'd caught him looking a time or two as well and he'd willingly paid the price for that when she'd challenged him to spar and had quite efficiently kicked his ass.

She'd left him sore, humbled and seriously fucking hard, so hard in fact he hadn't been able to conceal it as he'd regained his feet, her fiery emerald eyes darting down before returning to his face with one of those delicate red brows arched upwards as her bright red lips twitching in amusement.

He'd watched unable to look away as she sashayed out of the gym, like a moth drawn to a flame, he'd stalked through the halls of the Triskelion towards the temporary living quarters with his jacket and weapons harness well placed to conceal the prominent bulge in his pants.

The moment he'd entered his quarters he'd known something wasn't right, but he hadn't been able to pinpoint what until the lamp had flicked on beside the bed drawing his gaze to the fiery red headed Russian seductress lying naked as the day she was born upon his bed.

Her stamina had definitely surprised him as they'd fucked like rabbits well into the night, but what had surprised him more was the deft way she'd been able to coax his body back into action, she'd whetted his appetite and aroused a hunger within him for her that lingered within him to this day.

Setting the images of her aside into a possibilities pile he turned his gaze to the last of the images within the file, his gaze fell upon Barton's face with a sneer forming on his face, he'd had a hate-hate relationship with Barton since the academy.

Before the other man's arrival he'd been the best marksman in the academy, then some young upstart of a pup with a bow of all things had come in and knocked him into second place, he'd made a vow to himself to make the younger man pay for that.

He'd started by making Barton's life a misery in the academy and as he flipped through the images he now found a new way to continue on with the vow, lifting one image from the folder he took in the sight of Barton walking into the tower hand in hand with a woman slightly shorter than him his head bent down to her as though whispering into her ear.

The next image he picked up was a closer shot of the pair; he could clearly see the broad smile on Barton's face though the woman's face wasn't quite so clear, flipping through the images until he finally found one with a close up focused on the pair's faces.

Dropping his booted feet off the table with a thud he lifted the image out, the familiar face staring back at him with a slight smile a blow from his past, stroking his thumb across the face he growled "Son of a bitch, I spent years looking for you and you turn up _now_ with _him_ of all people."


	20. Jinxed

**Chapter Twenty:** Jinxed

If there was one thing Clint hated the most it was his birthday, nothing ever seemed to go right on his birthday, in the past whenever he'd been on missions on this date they had always ended badly.

He'd suspected that Natasha had told Shay what today was, when after their rather unexpected and vigorous bout of lovemaking she had managed to convince him to let her out of the tower unescorted.

It was hard to deny her anything when her supple body was wrapped around him as it had been, he'd regretted letting her go and had been about to go looking for her when she'd messaged him asking him to meet her at a café.

He'd gone, of course he'd gone, he'd go anywhere and do anything for her, he hadn't known what to expect but it was definitely not the sudden sting of a needle piercing the skin of his neck as he waited in the line to order her favourite white chocolate mocha.

Groaning as he came back to consciousness Clint could just hear Shay's voice calling his name, forcing his eyes open he had to blink rapidly to adjust his eyes to the sudden bright light.

When his vision finally came into focus it was locked on Shay, who was struggling against the handcuffs and the small loop of chain that held her arms over her head against a concrete pillar. He watched her body relax when she realised he was conscious, her shoulders slumping as far as was possible with her restraints as she whispered apologetically "I'm so sorry."

His head was still a little foggy, as he shifted he found his range of motion seriously limited, he knew he was sitting on a chair he could feel the cool metal against the bare skin of his back, his hands were zip tied behind him and he was pretty sure his ankles were also zip tied to the chair legs.

Turning his attention back to Shay his steely gaze drifted over her studiously, he could see a bruise forming on her right cheek and there were clearly dark marks at her throat that appeared to be finger shaped. Struggling against his bindings in a seething rage he snarled in frustration when he realised it was getting him nowhere before eventually asking "Are you ok?"

Lifting her head to look at Clint, Shay swallowed wincing as it jarred her tender throat before quietly rasping "It's mostly just bruising."

"For the moment, Sweetheart." That voice had not only her head jerking towards it but Clint's as well as a tall dark figure emerged from the darkness, her brow furrowed as she studied the man walking towards her.

No it couldn't be _him_, he was supposedly dead and yet here he was standing before her, looming over her. He was six inches taller than she remembered and definitely had more muscle mass, there was also now a nasty scar now residing on the right side of his face from temple to chin. Sucking in a sharp breath she rasped "Rumlow?"

"No fucking way. He's supposed to be dead." Clint's voice drew her gaze from the dark figure looming over her; she could only partially see him now that Rumlow was standing in front of her, his broad shoulders blocking most of her line of sight.

"Not quite Barton, I'm like a bad penny. I turn up when you least expect it." As rough fingers grasped her chin Shay tried to turn her head out of his grip only to have it tighten painfully, wincing as her eyes locked with Rumlow's dark coffee ones she glared and managed to spit in his face.

Probably not her brightest move since it wound up with the back of his hand connecting with the side of her face and sent her head jerking sideways, licking her now split lip she snapped sarcastically "Oh, how I missed you."

"Sweetheart, I'm going to enjoy re-educating you." Rumlow's rough growl made Shay shudder with revulsion.

"Don't you fucking touch her!" The venom in Clint's tone was clearly evident to her and had apparently surprised Rumlow as his head turned towards Clint, the feral grin forming on Rumlow's face made her stomach twist.

"Didn't she tell you Barton? She used to love me touching her, used to love it when I fucked her till she couldn't walk straight." Was Rumlow's retort, which had her wincing and looking to the floor, she heard his booted feet moving away.

"She told me enough about what you did to her, you bastard. You took advantage of a teenage girl fleeing a bad situation; it doesn't get much fucking sicker than that," Clint spat vehemently as he struggled against his restraints, he could feel his shoulders and biceps straining but the only thing he achieved was that the zip tie cut into his wrists.

He was rewarded by Rumlow's fist connecting with his abs with enough force to wind him, sucking in a breath Clint tried to straighten in the chair, his steely gaze locking on Rumlow. There was something off about the older man aside from the change in height and the increase of muscle mass; that blow had way more force behind it than he remembered Rumlow ever having in the academy.

"You've got guts Barton, I'll give you that. Maybe our little Sinthia here would like to see them spread across the floor?" His confusion at the name must have been evident on his face given the way Rumlow smirked before chuckling loudly while turning to look between the both of them as he spoke again "Or maybe, I should be threatening to spill her guts over the floor? That might get me the answers I need out of you."

"You hurt her and you're a fucking dead man," Clint spat struggling futilely against the restraints holding him as Rumlow crossed back to Shay, he watched as the older man removed the gun holster from around his waist and placed it on the table to Shay's right.

"Big talk Barton, especially when you're trussed up to that chair like that." When Rumlow pulled one of his two tactical knives free from the sheath on his back Clint saw Shay stiffen, he was helpless to do anything however as Rumlow flicked his wrist over her thigh slicing a small gash, he heard her barely contained whimper and the chain her hands were cuffed through rattle as she tried to pull away.

"Now, Barton, where is Rogers?" Rumlow's growl combined with the feral glint to his eyes and set of his mouth set Clint on edge, especially when he wrapped a fist in the top of Shay's hair and placed the tip of the knife beneath her chin.

"Don't know, I'm not his fucking travel consultant." That probably hadn't been the best response to give but Clint was furious, why on earth Rumlow thought he'd know where Steve was honestly was beyond him, while yes he knew _what_ Steve and Sam were up to they never shared any specifics when they left.

"Wrong answer." Rumlow snarled and his eyes met Shay's as Rumlow stepped to his right and with three flicks of his wrist in quick succession left three cuts of varying depths on her left thigh, side and upper arm, Clint watched her bite down so hard on her lower lip that it drew blood in her effort to not make a noise.

Forced to watch as Rumlow forcefully grabbed Shay's hair again as the bastards mouth crashed down on hers had Clint snarling "Leave her alone, you dick-less son of a bitch."

Between the tight grip in her hair and the bruising kiss Shay was frozen, her mind whirling trying to figure out a way to stop the unwelcome pressure of Rumlow's mouth upon hers, in the end she ended up parting her lips slightly and when he went to take advantage of the move she bit down hard on his lower lip.

As his grip on her hair released and Rumlow stepped back bringing one hand to his now bleeding lip Shay spat the blood that had pooled in her mouth at him, with a low hiss she said "Bastard."

She had expected the fist that struck her ribs forcing the wind out of her in a startled gasp, what she hadn't expected was the sudden glint of black steel in her peripheral vision as Rumlow swiftly swung the tactical knife down, embedding it into her flesh beneath her right collar bone.

There was no way known she'd have been able to stop the scream that tore from her throat as the pain bloomed first in her shoulder and then radiated through her nerves, she could hear Clint's raised voice but was unable to focus beyond the pain burning through her shoulder to actually _hear_ what he was saying.

She was however aware of Rumlow's imposing figure stalking away as his rough voice joined the background noise of Clint's, the sudden sound of pained grunts accompanied by soft thuds told her foggy brain that Clint was being beaten.

Taking several slow breaths Shay tried to focus to block out the pain signals her brain was rapidly shooting throughout her body, bracing her feet on the floor she forced herself to straighten.

Bringing her left hand across to her right Shay took hold of her left thumb, gritting her teeth she pulled down on her thumb with enough force to dislocate the joint, breathing heavily through her nose she looked up as she started to work her left hand free of the restraint.

When her hand finally slipped free of the cuff her arms dropped to her sides as she leant heavily against the pillar for a minute to steady herself. Once she was certain she had her balance, Shay reached up her right hand to curl about the hilt of the knife and pulled it free.

Curling the working figures of her other hand around the knife's hilt Shay inched her way to the table her gaze focused on Rumlow's back as he kept lashing out at Clint, her now free hand reached out to ease the gun from the holster.

After making sure the safety was disengaged Shay started to slowly and quietly edge her way around towards Clint, she kept the knife in her injured left hand low and flat to her stomach while the gun in her right was currently pointed towards the floor.

Granted she had no idea how to use this particular gun but the principals were the same, at least she _hoped_ they were, once she was in a position that was off to the side from the two men she took a reassuring breath lifted both hands aiming the gun with her right hand while her left slid in beneath her wrist for support as she snarled "Get away from him"

When Rumlow's head jerked suddenly in her direction she saw the briefest flash of surprise as his gaze then darted to the pillar where she'd been hanging, his voice a low rumble filling the sudden silence "Interesting, didn't expect that but I know you, Sweetheart. You don't have it in you to shoot anybody, least of all me."

As Rumlow took a step towards her Shay took aim, lining the gun up with the left side of his chest, the next step he took she squeezed the trigger twice in quick succession.

She watched warily as Rumlow jerked and staggered backwards, one off his large hands dropping to put pressure on his side where the two bullets had penetrated, her aim was out which she'd expected given the injury to her shoulder.

"You bitch! You fucking shot me." The angry growl of Rumlow's voice made her stiffen as he staggered backwards.

The moment Rumlow's back hit one of the pillars a safe distance away from where Clint was tied Shay moved quickly forward, dropping the gun to point at the ground she crouched reaching round to use the knife to cut his hands free followed soon after by his ankles.

It was sheer relief that surged through Clint's tense, aching muscles the moment Shay cut the zip ties free. Forcing himself to his feet at the same time she rose from the crouch in front of him, he reached out with one hand to take the gun from her hand at the same moment she let the knife drop to the floor with a clatter as he growled towards Rumlow "People change, asshole."

When Shay stepped in closer and gingerly wrapped her arms around his waist, Clint wrapped his free arm about her shoulders and lightly tugged her firmer into his chest as he tilted his head to brush a kiss across her forehead.

His cold gunmetal gaze never left the wounded man across from them who seemed to be slowly getting over the shock of being shot, by a woman he once tormented no less.

Clint had been known to be merciful at times, case in point Natasha, but given the fact he could _feel_ his soulmates blood trickling down his bare chest from where the bastard had stabbed her _again_, no there would be no mercy at all for the former SHIELD agent and STRIKE team commander.

Even as he levelled the gun at Rumlow, Clint subtly shifted and murmured reassurances to Shay who he could feel shaking in his arm, though he wasn't sure if that was out of fear or anger, brushing a kiss across the top of her head he whispered "Don't look, darlin'."

He felt Shay flinch as the first gun shot sounded; he fired a total of three shots, the hollow point bullets in Rumlow's gun a bonus. He'd picked strategic targets for his first two shots, ones to make Rumlow pay for what he'd done to Shay.

His first target had been the hand that held the knife, his second was more vengeance than strategic, as he'd aimed high on Rumlow's inner thigh, his final shot well that Clint put right between the bastard's eyes.

As the traitor's body slumped in a heap at the base of the pillar Clint walked Shay backwards to the table, being careful to keep his body between her and the gruesome mess now lying on the floor.

Lifting Shay onto the table he left her briefly to recover his cut off shirt and the knife from by the chair, using the blade he cut the ruined t-shirt into strips, folding one piece into a pad he placed it over the deep wound beneath her collar bone, when she lifted her hand to hold it in place he grabbed two of the long strips and tied them together.

Placing the knot over the makeshift pad he wound it under her arm and over her shoulder twice before tying it tightly. The quiet rasp of her voice drew his gaze back to her face "Clint, I need you to put my thumb back into place and strap it. I can't do it myself."

"That's how you got out of the cuffs?" Shaking his head slightly Clint let out a rueful chuckle as his hands moved to cup Shay's cheeks when she went to look away, leaning in he rested his forehead against hers to look her in the eye while murmuring "My beautiful, brave, crazy girl. I can honestly say I've never met any other woman willing to hurt herself to save my life."


	21. Secrets and Debriefs

**Chapter Twenty-One:** Secrets and Debriefs

As the purloined SUV came to an abrupt halt Shay blinked, her attention had been focused on Clint more than their surroundings. The tight set of his mouth and the way his hands were clenching the steering wheel were clear indications that he was upset.

Though whether it was with her, himself or the now _very_ deceased Rumlow she wasn't entirely certain; he'd taken out the rest of Rumlow's goons in the abandoned factory with ease, his face a lethal mask she'd never seen before.

Yet deep down she knew unequivocally that he'd never hurt her, she'd seen the unadulterated rage in his eyes whenever he'd looked at Rumlow and by extension his goon squad, yet the moment he looked at her those enigmatic eyes would soften and the rage melt away into something she couldn't quite identify that made her heart skip a beat.

Fumbling with the seatbelt with her wrapped hand Shay winced as pain flared bright and brief, before she could get the belt undone her hand was eased away from the buckle by one of Clint's larger ones as he suddenly leant in her door, his mouth brushing over her temple as he said quietly "I got it, darlin'."

Before she could even form a response Shay found herself suddenly lifted from the SUV and cradled in Clint's arms against his chest, settling her head at the point where his neck and shoulder met she mumbled a little dumbfounded "I can walk."

Shay felt Clint's low rumble of a chuckle reverberate in his chest before she heard it, to hide her confusion and frustration over what he found funny she turned her face into his neck and grumbled inaudibly.

"You could walk, but I _want_ to carry you. Humour me, ok?" She could hear the concern in his voice and suspected his mind was playing a game of _what if_ and that this was his way of reassuring himself that she was still here.

As they entered the elevator Shay was vaguely aware of Clint speaking with JARVIS, though she wasn't really focused on the conversation, at the moment she was trying to just not think, not think about the pain that occasionally streaked through her like a flash fire, not think about the fact that her past had caught up to her and almost taken her future from her.

In her books not thinking was very good right now; she was pretty much in a state of _fire bad, tree pretty_ when it came to higher brain function at this particular point in time. She became aware of Bruce's voice joining them at some point and lifted her face from Clint's neck in time to see them walk into a stark white room that screamed medical treatment room.

He was hovering, he knew it and Bruce knew it, so when Bruce guided him away from the bed with a pointed look Clint crossed the room and hoisted himself up on the counter so he had a clear line of sight between Shay and the door.

Clint had known it wouldn't take long for JARVIS to inform the rest of the team something was up after he'd requested the AI to contact Bruce, so he wasn't at all surprised when Natasha stalked through the door first, followed closely by Pepper and Tony. He was however surprised by the fact Steve, Sam and Maria followed Tony in.

Before he could even say a word Maria's icy blue eyes studied him briefly before diverting to Bruce and by extension Shay before she sneered "What the hell happened to you Barton? And what the hell is your latest dalliance still doing hanging around?"

He didn't miss the flinch Shay made as Maria's comment carried through the room, sliding off the counter his cold steel gaze locked onto Maria as he snarled "Watch what you say about my soulmate Hill, you may work for Stark now but that won't protect you from me, especially if you keep belittling the woman who saved my life."

Clint was aware of Natasha's hand settling on his bicep even as he watched Maria's gaze dart between him and Shay studiously, bringing one hand over Natasha's he squeezed it once before speaking again "As for your other question Brock fucking Rumlow happened."

He didn't miss the look Steve and Sam exchanged nor the puzzled look that crossed Maria's face, blowing out a frustrated breath he laid out what he knew happened.

"So let me get this straight, your latest conquest went out by herself, got caught and lured you into a trap all so Rumlow could get to Rogers? Are we sure she wasn't a plant? For all we know Rumlow saw your words in the Academy and she could have easily had your first words put on her later."

Clint was partially grateful that Maria had kept her voice low enough that Bruce and Shay couldn't hear, he was slowly losing his patience with Maria and his temper was making its way to the surface.

Uncrossing his arms he stalked away from Natasha and closed the minute distance to Maria reaching out to fist one hand in her shirt as he leant in and growled "She wouldn't fucking work with that scumbag, not after what he did to her."

"Look at her, Hill, she lost what family she had when she was fucking fifteen and that sick fucking bastard took what was left of her innocence when she met him a year later." As he finished speaking he saw a brief flash of something within Maria's eyes that he couldn't quite identify and he could see she was about to argue the logic of her case to him.

"But…"

"But nothing Hill, if you can't be civil towards her you can just get the fuck out of here before I decide to use you for target practice." He let go of Maria's shirt as he turned to stalk back to the counter, bracing his hands against the sterile white bench top he let his head hang down as he listened to the light thud of Maria's retreating boots.

A heavy hand on his shoulder was the only warning he got that Steve had even moved, for a man of his size the fucker was just as stealthy as he and Natasha were, he anticipated the question even before it slipped from Steve's mouth "Where's Rumlow now?"

"Dead on the floor of an abandoned factory down near the river, at least this time I hope he's fucking dead. Sick bastard had hollow points in his gun that were probably meant for me. Shay shot him twice in the side with his own gun to get him away from me, after she cut me free I put a further three shots into him, one in his hand, one in his thigh and the last right between the traitor's eyes."

He heard Steve's disappointed sigh, lifting his head he straightened and turned to face the taller man, though his gaze darted briefly to Shay when she yelped as Bruce was examining her thumb. Lifting one hand to scrub at his face he sighed before returning his attention to Steve "Look at her, man, you telling me you wouldn't have done the same to the bastard if he'd not only hurt your soulmate but had in the past ruined her life? I'm sure as hell not sorry that I did it, the only things I do regret are that he hurt her attempting to get to _you_ and that she had to dirty her own hands to free me."

"No, you are in no condition to stitch yourself up, Shaylyn."

Bruce's exasperated voice made Clint blink as his gaze drifted back to where Shay was inching along the bed towards the wall with her arms crossed over her chest away from Bruce who held a pair of surgical scissors. When his eyes locked with hers he could see the wariness there as her gaze darted briefly to Bruce and then to the group in the room before back to him.

Turning his gaze briefly to Natasha just as she looked from Shay towards him he arched one brow in silent question, when she inclined her head his lips curved into a small thankful smile, she'd stitched him up on more than one occasion during their partnership.

"It's ok Bruce, Nat and I can handle that. I just wanted you to check her over and make sure there was nothing more serious that I was missing."

"Aside from the other cuts that weren't as bad as they looked which I've cleaned and dressed, her thumb was set perfectly though will likely be sore for a few days which I imagine she already knew. The rest seems superficial bruising and a sore throat mostly, its that shoulder that concerns me most so I'm going to organise some painkillers and antibiotics just in case."

Clint just nodded to Bruce as he crossed to the bed Shay was on, hauling himself up to sit on it he turned his head to watch as she shuffled back along towards him, a wry grin curved his mouth as Natasha's deadly calm voice drifted through the room "Everyone out now, before I decide to start physically forcing you out."

When he felt Shay's head rest against his shoulder Clint curled one arm carefully around her waist and lifted her onto his lap, resting the side of his head against hers he whispered "Don't worry, Nat knows what she's doing. She's stitched me up more times than I care to remember and stitched herself up more times that I dare to count."

"Somehow, that's not as comforting as I think you meant it to be." Shay muttered quietly as she watched Natasha sort out the equipment she needed, she was vaguely aware of Clint's hands moving and it wasn't until the cold steel of the surgical scissors brushed her skin that she realised he was cutting her ruined tank top off.

"You'll soon learn, when you stick around long enough Shay, that Clint often has difficulty with his words, sometimes he can't get them out past that huge foot he often has stuck in his mouth." Even though Natasha's tone of voice hadn't changed and nor had her expression, Shay knew she was ribbing Clint.

"Well you know what they say Nat, huge feet huge co..." Her retort was cut short as Clint suddenly turned her head to fasten his mouth over hers in a heated kiss, when he pulled back eventually she blinked dazedly at him.

"Darlin', she doesn't need to know about the size of my equipment, in fact if I find out the two of you _ever_ discuss such things I'm going to put you over my knee and tie Nat to Cap's bed in her birthday suit."

"Promises, promises Barton." Shay and Natasha said simultaneously, that in itself had Shay turning to look at her just as she began to stitch closed the knife wound, she hadn't even been aware that Natasha had removed the makeshift bandage or injected the local anaesthetic.

"What the hell have I done introducing you two to each other," Clint groaned before dropping his head onto Shay's shoulder, the last thing he'd expected right then was for the two of them to say the exact same thing at the exact same time.

Least of all the fact that Natasha had virtually just admitted to him that she _did_ have fantasies about Steve, that was just a little _too_ much for him to even try to wrap his head around right now.

Clint was silently watching Natasha prep the morphine shot in his peripheral vision while watching as Shay examined her stitches, the moment she flinched in his arms and looked suddenly to Natasha he _knew_ his best friend had just dosed her with the morphine.

He was more than a little surprised at how quickly Shay passed out in his arms, either Natasha had given her a strong dose of the morphine or Shay just really didn't handle it well.

Turning her on his lap Clint slipped one arm around her back and the other under her knees, cradling her to his chest he eased himself off the bed to head from the room with Natasha following.

"Was that absolutely necessary Nat?"

"She needed the shot for pain relief Clint, plus she also looked exhausted."

Shaking his head with a low chuckle as they all stepped into the elevator he was grateful as JARVIS started it moving without a word, looking to Natasha he said sincerely "Thank you, for helping stitch her up. As much as she trusts Bruce, I think _everyone_ being there was stressing her out, throw in what Rumlow put her through and she's had a hell of a day."

Striding easily through his floor into his room Clint was grateful when Natasha moved around him to throw the bedding back, setting Shay down he unfastened her jeans and easily worked them off. After tucking her into the bed and brushing a kiss over her forehead he inclined his head towards the other room and followed Natasha out.

Propping himself beside Natasha at the back of his couch, Clint looked to her arching one brow curiously before he said teasingly "So did you want me to tie you to Cap's bed? I'm pretty sure he's currently in a debrief with Hill and won't currently be in his rooms."

He was utterly shocked to see the faintest hint of colour rise in Natasha's pale cheeks before she said crisply; "I'm quite capable of tying myself up, thanks all the same."


	22. Full Circle

**Chapter Twenty Two:** Full Circle

Shay wasn't afraid to admit, to herself at least, that she was worried, Clint had convinced her hours earlier to spend the afternoon with Pepper, Natasha, and Maria; this was the longest they'd been apart and not contactable.

She'd been reluctant, to say the least, at times she wasn't sure she fit in with the other women, Pepper was classy, Natasha was, well the only word or rather abbreviation she could think of was BAMF, and Maria, well after the make shift apology Maria didn't seem too bad, though should could be just as scary as Natasha at times.

So when Clint had told her that Pepper was arranging for them to get together and have lunch followed by shopping Shay had been adamant that she wasn't going, that was until he backed her up against a wall of his apartment and thoroughly ravished her, it'd been as she was slowly coming back to reality that he'd requested she go as he had some things he needed to get done.

It probably did not bode well for her that it was barely a month into their relationship and Clint already knew how to get her to do precisely what he wanted simply by using his body, she'd made a mental note to try and work on that, though the odds were good the same trick would work in reverse.

The restaurant they'd gone to, which Shay wasn't even going to try to pronounce the name of, was definitely somewhere she'd never have even considered going, it was only Pepper's insistence that the meals were wonderful and that Tony was paying for it that had convinced her to even set foot inside the extravagant dining room.

Shay had felt uncomfortable and slightly under dressed, while Pepper, Natasha and Maria had varied meals such as Lobster and Sushi while drinking wine and champagne, she'd stuck with a simple garden salad and sparkling water.

When they'd left the restaurant to embark on the shopping trip, Shay had found out that apparently Pepper, Natasha and Maria frowned upon the fact that her wardrobe consisted almost entirely of jeans, yoga pants, flannel shirts, t-shirts and tank tops.

Shay lost track of the time while in and out of the dressing room, though she had to admit that Pepper, Natasha and Maria had excellent taste; she'd been given things from business suits and slacks to dresses to try on. Perhaps it was the quality of the clothing – after her first squawk of protest Pepper had banned her from looking at price tags – but everything seemed to look amazing on her. She tried to protest, but she had the sneaking suspicion that Pepper bought quite a lot of things and ordered them sent back to the Tower while Shay was distracted in the change room.

While she didn't normally wear dresses, unless absolutely necessary for the like of awards ceremonies that Tyler would often drag her to, she'd absolutely fallen in love with a little black mini skater dress with a sweetheart neckline; when she'd stepped out of the dressing room Natasha had cocked her head to one side, looked her over from head to toe, and walked off only to return a couple of minutes later with a pair of heeled black ankle boots.

Upon returning to the tower Pepper had insisted they all come up to Tony's apartment for drinks. Shay had made a detour by Clint's apartment first to stash her shopping bags.

She was currently curled up on one of the large armchairs with a glass of orange juice, while Pepper and Maria shared one of the couches, while Natasha claimed one of the other armchairs.

"So out of curiosity, did all the guys have things to do today? Or are they all helping Clint plot something?" her gaze drifted between the other women, who all just glanced at each other, before Natasha eventually quirked one brow upwards with a slight twitch to her lips.

Setting the glass on the floor Shay scrubbed one hand over her face, a quiet groan rolling from her throat, she really should have known Clint was up to something the moment he distracted her.

"Miss Harrison? Mr Barton would like me to request your presence in the medical wing and for me to show you the way."

Jerking upright in the armchair at the sound of JARVIS's voice Shay panicked, her breathing rapid as she wondered just what the hell had the idiot gone and done now.

Thankfully, Shay had removed the heeled ankle boots when she was in Clint's apartment, hauling herself out of the chair she hurriedly made her way to the lift her hands smoothing the material of the dress down as she went.

She was grateful that the other three women had stayed where they were seated, especially when the moment the elevator doors closed she felt her cheeks dampen, her mind was conjuring up all sorts of scenarios, none of which were good.

As the doors dinged and opened she was fighting to pull herself together, stepping out she took a deep breath and lifted her head to look down the hallway. She saw Tony and Bruce first, standing outside one of the doors at the far end of the hall.

When Clint stepped out through the doorway Shay felt the weight she'd been carrying in her chest lighten as she breathed out a sigh of relief, though in the next instant she remembered she'd just been crying, turning suddenly she shoved through the door to her left slamming it shut behind her.

After fumbling her hand along the wall looking for a light switch she blinked suddenly as the lights turned on, she sometimes forgot that JARVIS handled a lot of the Tower's systems, moving into the room she blinked as her gaze took in the shelves littered about the room, who knew Stark kept a well stocked medical store room?

She was busy rubbing the tears from her eyes when she heard the door open and Clint's voice softly call her name. Before she had a chance to answer the door had shut again and a sharp intake of breath drifted from behind her.

Shay couldn't face him just yet, on the ride down her mind had been filled with _what ifs_, the biggest being what if she lost him. When his delectable, muscular arms curled around her waist to tug her back against his chest she didn't resist, her gaze steadfastly on the floor.

"Never thought I'd get the chance to see you in a dress, can't say that I don't approve though." The husky rumble of his voice by her ear was like the gentle breeze that sparked a smouldering ember into a blazing fire, it had heat flaring throughout her body and pooling low in her belly.

Turning in his arms Shay wrapped her arms around him as she nuzzled into his neck, her lips unerringly finding his pulse point as her hands fisted in the back of his coat, the texture of the material beneath her hands didn't feel right though so she knew it wasn't his black pea coat nor was it his leather jacket.

Reluctantly she pulled herself back from his neck in order to lean back slightly, her dark chocolate eyes roaming what she could see of his chest, which truthfully wasn't much since he wasn't loosening his hold on her waist, the stark white material she could see registered after a couple minutes as she muttered in confusion "Are you wearing a doctor's coat? Why are you wearing a doctor's coat?"

As Clint's arms fell away and he stepped back her hands fell free of the back of the jacket, Shay watched quietly as he reached up to rub at the back of his neck, she'd noticed that was always the first thing he did whenever he was nervous. His steely eyes were uncertain as though he wasn't sure what her reaction was going to be to whatever he'd just gone and done.

"It'll be easier if I show you," was his only response to her questions as he extended one hand out.

Sliding her small hand easily into his larger one, she squeezed gently as their fingers entwined, once they made their way out through the door she fell into step beside Clint as he led them down the length of the hallway.

As Clint opened the door he released her hand, moving his newly freed one to her lower back to urge her in through the door, she looked back over her shoulder at him quizzically just as a familiar and sorely missed voice drifted through the room "Look what the cat dragged in….or should I say Hawk?"

Shay blinked as her gaze drifted from Clint's grinning face to the bed across the room and locked with Tyler's, she stood stock still in shock in the doorway with Clint murmuring quiet encouragements behind her and not so discreetly nudging her lower back.

In the end the only reason she wound up in the room and beside the bed was because Clint wrapped one of those well muscled arms around her waist, lifted her off her feet and walked over to the bedside easily carrying her dead weight.

Propping himself against the wall by the door Clint watched the pair silently for a little while as they started to catch up, he could see the change in Shay almost instantly as though a little piece that had been missing had fallen back into place.

He crept silently from the room, deciding to let them catch up alone, and made his way back upstairs to his apartment, trying extremely hard and failing to keep his mind off the way that little black dress accentuated and flattered Shay's natural curves.


	23. Saving Grace

**Author's Note: **Ok folks we're down to the last chapter for this story, but this pair will be back I have plans in the works for them. However in the meantime I am currently working on a continuation for Ozhawk's Soulmate Short for Clint and Skye which I hope to start posting as soon as I get a few more chapters under my belt. As well as a couple of other ideas floating around in my head with my crack headed muses. Enjoy!

**Chapter Twenty Three:** Saving Grace

Clint had originally only intended to relax, kicked back on the couch with his bare feet resting atop the coffee table, he wasn't sure when he'd fallen asleep or how long he'd been asleep let alone what the hell had caused him to stir.

As a weight settled on his lap and fingers began a light caress through his short sandy hair Clint shifted slightly to settle the weight more comfortably on his lap, as his eyes drifted open slowly, he caught the faint sound of music echoing through the apartment.

Blinking the sleepy haze from his eyes Clint couldn't stop the small smile that curved his lips when he found himself looking into rich chocolate eyes, it wasn't the first time he'd come awake to Shay settled in his lap stroking his hair and he highly doubted it'd be the last.

The content smile gracing her face was a welcome sight, when she'd first looked at him in the medical store room he hadn't missed the obvious evidence that she'd been crying, her lashes had glistened with moisture and her cheeks had been just the slightest bit damp.

When he'd left her alone with Tyler, Clint had spent half his time trying to figure out what had caused her tears, the other half of his time had been spent firmly locking down his libido, for the life of him though he couldn't think of what could have resulted in her crying.

His first thought had been to wonder if one of the girls had said something, but then he recalled the way she'd darted off into the store room after seeing him and came to the obvious conclusion her tears had been for him, when he thought back on the message he'd asked JARVIS to relay he suddenly realised she'd probably thought that something had happened to him.

"You scared me before. In the future, when you get JARVIS to ask me to meet you down in the medical wing, think twice about how you word it," her tone was teasing, but in the depths of her eyes he could still see the barest trace of sadness lingering.

Though as her hands fell from his hair to stroke over his shoulders and down the front of the doctor's coat he'd forgotten to take off, Clint saw something else flash through the depths of her eyes moments before her tongue darted out to lick her lower lip before she murmured "Do me a favour and keep the coat though, you look absolutely delectable as a doctor."

Clint couldn't stop the low chuckle that rolled from his chest as his hands moved to settle on her bare thighs beneath the skirt of her dress, leaning forward to brush his lips against her ear he whispered "You got a thing for doctors, darlin'? Is this something I need to be jealous about?"

He felt the shiver that coursed through her body that had her thighs press in tighter against his as her hands slid beneath the coat to push it from his shoulders as her head turned to brush her lips across his followed by a breathy whisper "I've got a thing for _you_ as a doctor, actually I seem to have a thing for you in general in case you hadn't noticed."

"Really? I hadn't noticed in the slightest darlin'," Clint teased as he reluctantly moved his hands from her soft, warm skin to shrug one arm free from the coat before yanking it off and flinging it to land on the armchair.

Skimming his hands along from her knees, up her thighs and around to cup her ass beneath her skirt, he brushed his nose against hers as he murmured "I didn't mean to scare you, let me make it up to you?"

When Shay pulled her head back from his and cocked it to one side Clint couldn't help but shiver, it was very reminiscent of Natasha assessing her marks, which was probably a clear sign that his soulmate was spending far too much time with his surrogate sister/best friend.

"I want to feel you….no I _need_ to feel you, all of you, against me, _inside_ me with nothing between us," Shay's wanton tone caught him off guard, it wasn't a tone he'd heard her use before, not that he was going to complain about that mind you.

"You're sure about that? I mean I'm clean, SHIELD was always very thorough in its monthly screenings, but there are other risks," he really felt like an idiot pointing that out, of course she knew the risks, to hide his embarrassment Clint dropped his head forward to rest atop her breasts.

He felt the brush of her lips in his hair as one of her hands stroked the nape of his neck lightly, occasionally scratching her short nails through the back of his hair before her voice sounded quietly "I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't sure, Clint."

Dropping his feet off the coffee table, Clint used a firm, yet gentle grip on her ass to pull her flush against him; he nuzzled into the cleavage bared by the neckline of her dress before placing a light nip to the curve of one breast.

Sliding to the edge of the couch Clint pushed himself to his feet, he felt Shay's free hand grasp his bicep to steady her balance, lifting his head from her cleavage he turned his gaze over her shoulder, the last thing he wanted to do was crash her into something.

The brush of her lips against his ear was the only warning Clint got before Shay's delicious lips set to work at his throat, at first it was teasing kisses that had him bumping his shin into the corner of the coffee table, but when she switched to sucking and nipping at his throat he growled quietly and quickened his pace into the bedroom.

With some rather awkward manoeuvring Clint had them both positioned in the middle of the bed, which was precisely the moment Shay chose to wriggle free of his grasp. With a low groan he watched as she slipped off the bed and sauntered to the closet.

His gaze rested momentarily on the bag she collected as she made her way into the bathroom, though when she stopped at the door to rake her eyes along the length of his body he cocked one brow upwards in silent question. He heard the low drum of her fingers tapping on the doorjamb before she called out, while pushing the door closed, "Lose the shirt and jeans and make yourself comfortable."

As the door shut with a quiet click Clint blinked in confusion at the rapid change in direction that had just occurred, grasping the hem of his t-shirt he pulled it over his head tossing it haphazardly to the floor.

He was trying to listen to what was going on in the bathroom as his hands worked to unfasten his belt buckle, all he could hear though was the sound of running water as he hastily finished stripping down to his boxers.

Flopping back into the pillows Clint rolled to his side, propping his head on his hand as his gaze locked on the closed door, while shifting his legs he suddenly realised the bedding had at some point been folded back, he assumed Shay had done that either earlier in the day or when she first came back into the apartment.

The water shutting off in the bathroom followed by the creak of the door drew Clint's attention back to the door; he was suddenly grateful for the loose knit cotton of his boxers as his cock twitched at the sight of Shay wrapped within his bathrobe.

Granted there was nothing inherently sexy about the bathrobe itself, more the delicate figure it was hugging, he couldn't tear his eyes from Shay as she crossed the room. He was pretty sure he was smirking by the time she knelt beside him, reaching one hand out to lightly grasp the belt holding the robe closed his eyes met hers momentarily before he tugged the belt firmly to unfasten it.

As the robe parted Clint sucked in a sharp breath his hungry gaze roaming over the sheer black lace and mesh babydoll lingerie that had been concealed beneath his robe, pushing himself up onto his knees as Shay shrugged the robe from her shoulders he reached out wanting to touch, no _needing_ to touch but halted his hands a scant inch from her shoulders before pitifully groaning "Can I?"

"Not yet," was the sultry reply as Shay reached out to brush her thumb over his lips as she continued "lay down on your stomach for me?"

Reluctantly acquiescing he turned and flopped ungracefully face first into the pillows, hooking his arms around one of the pillows he turned his head to the side, he was in the process of trying to work out what she was doing when he felt the mattress dip slightly moments before her weight semi-settled on his ass.

As her soft hands began soothing strokes along his back to his shoulders where she'd knead lightly into his muscles, Clint couldn't prevent the low groan that rumbled free as his hips unwillingly ground into the mattress when her soft breath blew across the back of his neck.

The restriction on him not being allowed to touch her combined with her ministrations to his back was causing a delicious slow burn to grow within his body, slowly driving him mad, especially when she ran her tongue the length of his spine causing him to shudder and whimper "I want to see you…..please?"

Clint most definitely was not beyond begging right now if it got him at least part of what he wanted, he felt her movements still before her fingers drummed lightly on his shoulder as she wriggled her hips to grind herself down against his ass.

Her soft hands were the first thing to vanish followed by her weight lifting off his ass that was followed with a gently murmured "Roll over."

That was one order he definitely had no trouble following immediately, as he settled on his back he suddenly realised Shay was bracing her weight on her knees by his hips and her hands on either side of his head, flicking his gaze from her face as far down as he could he grinned cheekily moving his hands between them to drag his fingers along her collar bones to her sternum and down to cup her breasts.

He was rewarded by a quiet keen from Shay's throat as she shuddered and struggled to keep her weight balanced, when she finally resettled her weight against him she was sitting astride him, her lace covered core pressed firmly against his growing erection, her upper body tilted forward into his hands.

Gently kneading her breasts Clint could tell the rasp of the lace on her breasts was getting to Shay when she bit at her lower lip firmly. He sat up suddenly, his hands pushing her upright along with him, as he leant in to capture her lower lip gently sucking on it.

Skimming his hands over her breasts and down along her ribs, Clint slid his hands beneath the hem of the babydoll, his fingers ghosting along the smooth skin of her stomach, working his hands upwards the sheer material bunched atop his hands till he pulled it over Shay's head.

"So beautiful, darlin'," he murmured softly, meeting her eyes, "and don't think I don't appreciate that you went to the effort to put that on for me."

"Somehow, I suspected I wouldn't get to wear it for all that long anyway," she returned softly, skimming her hands over his shoulders and down his biceps.

He chuckled quietly, busying himself with his hands on her breasts, teasing gently in ever-decreasing circles, never quite touching her nipples.

"You know me, I can't resist temptation."

That made Shay let out a laugh, and as she did so he bent his head and caught one pouting nipple between his lips, biting gently before soothing the small pain with a swirl of his tongue.

Working his mouth on one nipple Clint made absolute certain the other got just as much attention from his calloused fingers, he was rewarded with a shuddering gasp as Shay rocked her hips forward and down to grind against him, her short nails biting into his biceps causing his hips to jerk up in response.

Releasing her nipple with a wet pop, Clint moved suddenly to ease Shay down onto the bed, bracing his hands on the mattress to keep his upper body from touching her, their only points of contact being where her hands rested curled around his biceps, her legs now curled around his and their groins.

Thrusting forward with his shoulders as well as with his pelvis drew a startled mewl from Shay's throat at the different action and pressure it afforded, dropping his head Clint captured her mouth in a lazy languid kiss.

The rake of her nails along his biceps and across his collar bones threw Clint's rhythm out, forcing him to break the kiss with a soft curse, though speech went right out the window as Shay's hands begin stroking from his collar bones downwards, stopping to trace and map every scar until they eventually came to rest flat against his abs.

Firm pressure from both her hands pressed up against his abs as her legs tightened against his, Clint took it as a hint and rolled onto his back pulling Shay along with him, she wriggled backwards, tauntingly dragging herself along his aching erection till her ass settled to a stop resting against his shins.

Before he could figure out what she was up to Clint sucked in a sharp breath as the elastic of his boxers stung his skin, the pain was followed by feather light brushes from her lips as her dark hair cascaded over her shoulder in a waterfall to fan over his stomach.

When Shays warm breath blew gently through the partial opening of the fly of his boxers Clint's hips jerked upwards suddenly as he groaned, the soft but quick brush of gentle hands over his ass cheeks before his ass came back into contact with the bed, the sudden sensation of her silky hair brushing over the engorged head of his cock drew a guttural groan from his throat as he realised the little minx had managed to hastily draw his boxers midway down his thighs.

Propping himself up on his elbows Clint watched dazedly as Shay's head moved, granted he couldn't see past her hair but he could feel her mouth and tongue alternating between tracing and nipping at their mark below his hip.

He was fighting back the primal urge to simply pull her to him, flip them over and fuck her into the mattress when she slid off his legs, her soft hands tugging his boxers off to be discarded on to the floor without another thought.

Watching Shay crawl languidly up the bed towards him Clint licked his suddenly dry lips, her lithe movements were oddly similar to that of a predatory cat stalking its' prey, as she brushed past his shoulder with a slight nudge he blinked, turning his head to stare at her ass as she tugged at and rearranged the numerous pillows he kept on the bed.

Rolling to his side before pushing onto his knees beside her, Clint reached one hand out to lightly stroke the sheer lace covering her gorgeous ass, his hand didn't remain focused on her ass for long however as each pass he made he delved lower until eventually he moved aside the thin scrap of fabric so he could stroke through her folds.

As her movements halted and Shay glanced back over her shoulder at him, Clint shifted, straddling one of her legs and leaning forward so his aching cock pressed firmly against one of her ass cheeks as his mouth descended to her shoulder, at the same moment he bit firmly against her shoulder he thrust two fingers into her slick heated core to brush unerringly against her g-spot.

The unabashed moan that drifted from Shay as she bucked her ass back into his cock and hand drew a guttural growl from Clint. They'd wound each other up to the point of breaking, he knew he wasn't far off coming by the familiar tingle coiling at the base of his spine and she was so wet for him that the thin scrap of lace was drenched.

Pulling his fingers from her slick entrance Clint grasped the tiny, sexy underwear that was driving him insane and dragged it swiftly over the curve of her ass and down as far as her knees, which is when she dug her toes into the bed and pushed her ass into the air so he could peel the garment down to her ankles where she promptly kicked free of it.

When she moved into the nest of pillows she'd made Clint hastily followed and was pushed into a seated position, Shay moving to straddle his lap, as her hands settled on his shoulders he stroked his down along her back before settling to cup her ass and guide her down onto his straining cock.

The difference in position made Shay a little tighter and Clint had to grit his teeth as she performed some rather amazing gyrations of her hips to sink fully down on his thick length, when he bottomed out and she wrapped her lean legs around his back he bent his knees so his thighs were just behind her back and planted his feet against the mattress.

Bringing his hands up to cup her cheeks Clint leant in to capture her lips in a tender kiss, when he eased back from the kiss as Shay scratched lightly at the back of his neck he murmured huskily "God, I love you."

He felt Shay's gentle rocking into him stop and Clint momentarily forced his eyes shut mentally berating himself for using the L word, it was too soon for shit like that to be coming out…wasn't it? He recalled Nat telling him once never to say it first, it was better to wait till it was said to you first, but the time had felt right for him to say it….or apparently he at least thought it had.

Feather light kisses ghosted his closed eyelids as one hand stroked soothingly through his hair, her other hand brushing his cheek before curling about his neck. Forcing himself to open his eyes he was met with a breathtaking smile he couldn't recall ever seeing grace her face before.

"It's about time, I was wondering how long it'd take for you to say it," her tone was light and teasing as were the kisses she was placing randomly over his face, till their lips met and she used just a little more pressure in the kiss as she wriggled in his lap.

It was pure torture what she was doing to him, he was positively sure of it, he felt like his insides were on fire, not to mention he'd just laid his heart bare to her with his declaration of love and she hadn't even returned it, was it possible that he was only a fuck toy to her?

Something about his insecurity must have been showing on his face because Clint suddenly found Shay's brow furrowing and both her hands cupping his cheeks as she slowly regained the rhythm they'd had prior to his emotional verbal diarrhoea, as her mouth brushed his briefly her voice ghosted over his lips as she whispered "I love you too Clint."

Feeling the coil of tension low in his gut Clint settled his hands to Shay's hips rolling her hips forward into his groin as she rocked and he bucked slightly beneath her, the rapid increase of her breathing telling him just how close she was, her soft moans floated free of her throat as she leant back against his thighs, her head resting atop his knees as her long silky hair cascaded down his legs.

The change in her position altered the angle and motion of his throbbing cock gliding within her, it also provided him with a little more leeway to move as he bucked and rolled his hips in rhythm with hers, the breathy moan of his name escaping her lips as her inner muscles clenched down hard on his cock was like music to his ears.

Several more rocks and pivots of Shay's hips had Clint shattering, his cock sliding deep as it emptied spurt after spurt of his hot come deep within her welcoming heat, her inner muscles mercilessly milking him of every last drop.

Collapsing back into the pillows even as the aftershocks of their orgasms still rippled through their bodies, Clint couldn't contain the contented rumble that rolled through his chest, Shay's soft laughter floating down to him moments before her limp body collapsed onto his chest.

His heart did that same damn flutter in his chest that it had done the first night they met in the hospital, Clint still had no idea what the fuck it was, but he did feel damn lucky that Shay could love someone as screwed up as he was, even though she claimed she was just as screwed up as he was he couldn't see it, no _refused_ to see it, she was his angel, the light to his darkness, she was his saving grace.


End file.
